“When feminism does not explicitly oppose racism, and when anti-racism does not incorporate opposition to patriarchy, race and gender politics often end up being antagonistic to each other, and both interests lose.” – Kimberle Williams Crenshaw

The UW Tacoma Library is excited to announce its new display, “That’s What She Said: Highlighting Marginalized Intersectional Experiences and #OwnVoices.”

This display was designed to showcase intersectional womxns voices and experiences. The curated resources were designed to be inclusive, to identify how different aspects of social and political discrimination overlap with gender, and to shed light on the prejudice, discrimination, and institutional barriers womxn have faced, and continue to face, today.

The usage of “womxn” with an “x”  has been used in a similar manner as “womyn.” However, due to the history of exclusion of transgender women and women of color from past feminist movements, an “x” is used to broaden the scope of womxnhood and to be inclusive.

Additionally, the use of pink in this display was intentional. While we recognize this may be perceived as being representative of the gender binary, we chose pink because of its history and . Usually considered “feminine” to many, the color pink traditionally symbolizes compassion and empathy — two emotions needed to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference.

This display includes books, campus resources, and upcoming community events that emphasize and discuss womxn, womxn empowerment, feminism, and more. Some titles featured in the display include The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily Danforth; Sister Citizen : Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America by Melissa Harris-Perry; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; Becoming Nicole : The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt; The Beyoncé Effect : Essays on Sexuality, Race and Feminism by Adrienne Trier-Bieniek; and Moxie : A Novel by Jennifer Mathieu — to name a few.

Lastly, our display includes quotes and artwork showcasing the strength of womxn and the fight for equality and justice in our society.

“Our disparity is real. But so is our joy. So is our resilience. So is our power. So is our beauty.” – Aria Sa’id

The resources and experiences in our “That’s What She Said” display reflect the UW Tacoma Library’s commitment to student-centered service. That is, voicing that we acknowledge the diversity and womxnhood of our student population and respond to it with our services, creating a welcoming environment to all of our scholars.

“That’s What She Said” will be on display on the first floor of the Tioga Library Building through August 2019.