University of North Texas

The Department of Communication Studies hosted its ninth Gender Fair in the Forum of the Willis Library. Hosted by the students in Gender and Communication course, taught by Suzanne Enck, this event provided an educational, provocative, and entertaining opportunity to unite the UNT campus and broader community to investigate a wide range of social discourses and perceptions about gender in U.S. public culture.

The department has hosted the fair each semester since fall 2009.

Nearly 700 visitors who attended took part in interactive games and activities and learned from the students’ research.

The researchers analyzed gender in the public sphere including mediated representations of women’s and men’s bodies, expectations of femininity and masculinity, social rules regarding sex and sexuality, feminist political achievements, and resisting gendered violence.

The Gender Fair also included representatives from the local domestic violence prevention program, Denton County Friends of the Family.

In conjunction with the Department of Communication Studies’ student honorary group, Lambda Pi Eta, students collected donations for Friends of the Family, strengthening UNT’s engagement with this important community organization.

The 10^th Gender Fair will be hosted by this semester’s Gender and Communication students on from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 23, in the Willis Library Forum. All members of the community are invited to this event.