IMPORTANT: Name Change for the Women's Center

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 15:00:14 -0400

Since 2017, the Women's Center at UMBC has been in discussions about changing our name. Our foundations as a women's center are important to us, but as we develop and grow as a center, we must also reflect on whether "women's" center is the best way to describe our department.

Is "women" too exclusive a category to contain the work that we do?

Does it create a barrier for those who should have access to our resources but might not feel a sense of belonging under the title of "women" (e.g. male survivors, transgender and non-binary folks, etc.)?

Our center has grown since its inception in 1991 and as we prepare for our 30th anniversary (coming in Fall 2021!), we must also take stock of who we are, what we do, and how we want to continue to build this incredible community. With this grand birthday, we are taking the time to really think critically about all of the birthdays to come and who we want to be.

Women's Center Name Change Survey: https://forms.gle/pNuGBovYSWBhKZhp6

Please let us know what you think about changing the name of the Women's Center in the form below. We have included a set of 6 potential names that have been curated from our several years of research and internal dialoguing with key partners.

If you have any questions, please email us at womenscenter@umbc.edu or call us at 410-455-2714.