Tonight, gender politics expert Shira Tarrant will present a lecture about sexual assault prevention titled Politics and Pleasure: Men, Feminism, and Gender Justice in Walter Hall Rotunda. Tomorrow she also will participate in the Women's Center Brown Bag Lunch and Learn with a discussion about pornography and sex work titled Pleasure and Peril; Moving Past the Sex Wars.
A native of Cleveland, Tarrant teaches in the Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at California State University, Long Beach, and has written several books, including When Sex Became Gender and Men and Feminism. Her work also has been featured in many publications, such as Bitch magazine, Off Our Backs, The Huffington Post, Women's Studies Quarterly and Genre magazine.
The Post's Mallory Long talked to Tarrant about men and feminism and her connection to Ohio University.
The Post: What role do you think men can play in feminism?
Tarrant: We need all hands on deck. I think that, strategically speaking, there is strength in numbers. More men publicly identifying as feminist sends the message to other guys that it's OK. Also, I think it's really important that men check in and ask what the priorities are as women define them, because, without even realizing it, some of the most well-intentioned men can (impose their ideas of what women need on women).
Post: I've read that you think sexual assault is a men's issue. Why?
Tarrant: If we can prevent sexual assault - not respond to it after it happens, but really prevent it before it happens - then it really does mean all of us have an opportunity for more pleasure in our lives. I think a lot of sexual assault is wrapped in our ideas about masculinity and sexuality, and we know that men perpetrate most sexual assault and violence against women, so we need to have (conversations on it with men). Most men are good men and most men do not assault, but we need all men on board to solve the problem.
Post: What made you interested in feminism and women's studies?
Tarrant: I wanted to study political science because I wanted to find a way to make the world a little bit better in some small way. (Women's and Gender Studies Department Director) Judith Grant was really instrumental by the material that she was willing to teach that focused on feminism and women, especially because when I was in the political science department as an undergrad (at CSU Long Beach), it was still a guy thing. Judith was really such a tremendous role model for me, and that's one of the reasons I'm thrilled to come to OU.
3 Culture
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(PROVIDED)
If You Go
WHAT: Politics and Pleasure: Men, Feminism, and Gender Justice
WHEN: 7 tonight
WHERE: Walter Hall Rotunda
WHAT: Brown Bag Lunch and Learn: Pleasure and Peril Moving Past the Sex Wars
WHEN: Noon tomorrow
WHERE: Ohio University Women's Center, 403 Baker University Center
