Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Publication
Articles 1 - 30 of 32
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
39 Social Justice Books And Movies To Keep Your Brain Warm Over Winter Break!, The Surge Team
39 Social Justice Books And Movies To Keep Your Brain Warm Over Winter Break!, The Surge Team
SURGE
A hodgepodge of books and movies, some serious, some funny that engage issues of social justice in a variety of ways. If you read or watch one, let us know what you think in the comments! [excerpt]
Fearless Friday: Ja'nai Harris, Christina L. Bassler
Fearless Friday: Ja'nai Harris, Christina L. Bassler
SURGE
Ja’Nai Harris ’16 is a fearless advocate for equity, diversity, and justice here at Gettysburg. Her efforts have been instrumental in planning several important events on campus including the #BlackLivesMatter vigil held on Tuesday, December 9th and the Ferguson discussion held on December 2nd. Through her work as a Diversity Peer Educator (DPE) and Co-president of the Black Student Union (BSU), she has used her leadership to spread positivity, activism and social change. [excerpt]
Stop Ducking, Stephen Lin
Stop Ducking, Stephen Lin
SURGE
When I joined the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, a small voice in my head kept saying that it was a bad idea. “Don’t become part of the system, Stephen.” But I defended my decision and believed in the idea of Phi Kappa Psi returning to campus with a clean slate. The possibilities far outweighed the cons. I dreamt of the potential of what Phi Psi could become and how we would stand above the traditional expectations of Greek organizations. I wanted to tell everyone about this dream and I couldn’t wait to find like-minded people. I felt inspired by how …
Radost Rangelova, Assistant Professor Of Spanish, Musselman Library, Radost A. Rangelova
Radost Rangelova, Assistant Professor Of Spanish, Musselman Library, Radost A. Rangelova
Next Page
In our newest Next Page column, featured reader Radost Rangelova, Assistant Professor of Spanish, shares with us what she reads for fun and the course it inspired (she had to warn the students NOT to read ahead!); one of the influential works that solidified her passion for the study of gender and the cultural construction of space; and her recommendation of a contemporary Colombian author to read next – perhaps something to add to your holiday wish list?
Fearless Friday: Friend Or Foe, Christina L. Bassler
Fearless Friday: Friend Or Foe, Christina L. Bassler
SURGE
Friend or FOE, a recent addition to our campus offers queer students and their allies an opportunity to connect more socially and establish a mutual understanding of their experiences on campus. The group defines itself as having a less activist approach, rather, their main focus is to create a medium for students who feel that while their sexual orientation is important it is not necessarily something they want to be defined by. [excerpt]
The Space I Own, Alison P. Lauro
The Space I Own, Alison P. Lauro
SURGE
***TRIGGER WARNING: Eating Disorders***
I don’t care what anyone says—being a woman is hard. Being a young woman has its own set of complications–we experience a lot of pressure to look a certain way, to act a certain way, to have a specific friend group; to act as social butterflies and to live up to a set of socially constructed beauty standards. And there are too many girls—myself included—who have fallen victim to this impossible set of expectations. [excerpt]
Judgy Eyes, Stephany W. Harrington
Judgy Eyes, Stephany W. Harrington
SURGE
I can feel them watching me, examining me. I try not to look directly at them for fear that they might see right through me.
For so long I’ve walked amongst them and have tried to somewhat assimilate into their culture. But even then, I’m certain they feel something off about me, something that just doesn’t fit. And they’d be right to assume that, because I am different from so many of them. [excerpt]
Cannons To Cannon, Ann M. Sasala
Cannons To Cannon, Ann M. Sasala
SURGE
I’ll never forget the first moment, I truly realized who Batman was. No, I’m not talking about (SARCASTIC SPOILER ALERT) his alternate identity as Bruce Wayne, but instead his depth as a character, his uncompromising morals and never-ending cycle of battles with the Joker. Batman, his mythology, and his backstory encompass so much more than the movies; he is alive for me in a way he will never be on screen. From an early age, comics provided my escape; Batman was there to drop kick depression and side-swipe thoughts of suicide. [excerpt]
Musings From A Biased Jew, Marli R. Horwitz
Musings From A Biased Jew, Marli R. Horwitz
SURGE
Saturday was Yom Kippur, the day we as Jews repent for our sins. During the holiday, we fast to afflict our souls, to provoke in ourselves to confess and obtain pardon. As I sat in Hillel’s morning services, I reflected on the ways I have intentionally or unintentionally harmed others. [excerpt]
Fearless: Mollie Sherman, Christina L. Bassler
Fearless: Mollie Sherman, Christina L. Bassler
SURGE
As the 14 days to End Sexual Assault ends, Surge highlights the fearless actions of Mollie Sherman, for her courage to speak up against sexual assault. [excerpt]
Up-Vote This, Julie E. Davin
Up-Vote This, Julie E. Davin
SURGE
**TRIGGER WARNING**
You are walking to class when you feel someone grab your butt with both hands. You scream, swing around, and watch your assailant sprint away. You feel humiliated, disgusted, violated. You look over your shoulder with every step on the way home and cry yourself to sleep. [excerpt]
The History Of The Dance Cards Of Gettysburg College, Jessica N. Casale
The History Of The Dance Cards Of Gettysburg College, Jessica N. Casale
Student Publications
The annual dances at Gettysburg College were the most popular social activity for students for over fifty years. The dance cards held in Special Collections at Musselman Library sparked an interest in the history of these dances and why they are not continued today. This research project uncovers the reason for the sudden extinction of a social event once adored by college students. It includes the prevalence of Greek life on campus and its effect on social life.
Compliments, Insults, And The Paradox Of Pillow Talk, Anonymous
Compliments, Insults, And The Paradox Of Pillow Talk, Anonymous
SURGE
I haven’t been a skinny girl since I was seven years old.
At nine, I was told I wasn’t small enough to sit down and talk to the other girls. I didn’t “fit” and they wouldn’t make enough space for my body, or for my big opinions. [excerpt]
The Person I Am Becoming, Ann M. Sasala
The Person I Am Becoming, Ann M. Sasala
SURGE
Death, among other things, forces us to confront our own mortality, to question how we view ourselves in relation to others, to relive memories be they fond or not so much.
Over the past month, I lost both a grandfather -a quiet, intense, intelligent man who fostered in me a love for ice-cream and old movies- and a grandmother -the first family member to tell me it was OK to be queer. Their deaths left me scattered. My life became a dorm room floor during finals: covered in a mixture of clean and dirty clothing, food remains, and long-forgotten notes. …
Fearless Friday: Chelsea Broe, Chelsea E. Broe
Fearless Friday: Chelsea Broe, Chelsea E. Broe
SURGE
Consistently speaking up for social justice issues around campus, finding innovative ways to promote peer understanding, and making our campus a more welcoming, accepting, and open place, Chelsea Broe ’14 is a fearless leader who advocates for others.
Bending The Binary, Chelsea E. Broe
Bending The Binary, Chelsea E. Broe
SURGE
Friend: “Are you going to the Gender Bender Dance?”
Me: “I think so. I probably won’t dress up though; I figure I already bend gender enough every day.”
Friend: “What do you mean? Like you’re not feminine?”
Me: “Yeah!”
Friend: “No, Chelsea! Of course you are!”
Wait, what? I understand that this person meant no harm; if anything, my friend probably interpreted my remark as a self-deprecating comment uttered with the hopes that someone would reassure my femininity. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Stop The Silence, Victoria J. Reynolds
Stop The Silence, Victoria J. Reynolds
SURGE
I am tired of the numbers. The statistics. We all know them. One out of every six women are the victims of sexual assault. One out of thirty-three men are victims of sexual assault. Forty-four percent of victims are under the age of eighteen at the time of their assault. The transgender and queer communities are three times as likely to be targeted for sexual assault. But numbers don’t carry meaning, the don’t carry identity, and they (very quickly) lose their weight and are forgotten. Names mean much more. Stories make an impact.
Fearless: Josh Griffiths, Joshua M. Griffiths
Fearless: Josh Griffiths, Joshua M. Griffiths
SURGE
Continually a strong voice for the underrepresented on campus, working with other students and faculty to take initiative in changing campus policy and culture toward the LGBTQ community, and serving as a leader in multiple groups and organizations on campus, Josh Griffiths ’14 fearlessly advocates for members of our campus community, making Gettysburg a more open and welcoming space. [excerpt]
"A" Is Not For Ally, Ellen I. Henry
"A" Is Not For Ally, Ellen I. Henry
SURGE
Most people can recall their first crush. They think fondly back to age ten or eleven when they first “went boy-crazy” or couldn’t focus on sixth-grade English because that cute girl was in their class.
This did not happen for me. I do, however, vividly remember it happening for everyone around me. [excerpt]
Jan Powers, Professor Emerita Of Interdisciplinary Studies And Women, Gender, And Sexuality Studies, Musselman Library, Janet M. Powers
Jan Powers, Professor Emerita Of Interdisciplinary Studies And Women, Gender, And Sexuality Studies, Musselman Library, Janet M. Powers
Next Page
In this new Next Page column, Jan Powers, Professor Emerita of Interdisciplinary Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies shares her thoughts on what makes a great novel and where she believes the best literature in the English-speaking world comes from.
I Watch Porn, Chelsea E. Broe
I Watch Porn, Chelsea E. Broe
SURGE
I started watching porn when I was 16.
The first thing I noticed was the porn actresses’ vulvas. They were hairless, perfectly symmetrical, with beautiful folds of labia. This being my only venue to see other female bodies, I assumed what I saw was normal (after all, they all looked pretty similar to each other) and that my own body, not looking like those of these women, was flawed. [excerpt]
Paradoxes Of Porn, Jessie M. Pierce
Paradoxes Of Porn, Jessie M. Pierce
SURGE
So I have a confession: I’m kind of obsessed with porn. Which is weird considering that I have never actually seen any. [excerpt]
Fearless: Emily Zeller, Emily I. Zeller
Fearless: Emily Zeller, Emily I. Zeller
SURGE
Finding unique, powerful, and innovative ways to combine her love of music, her passion for social justice, and her Jewish faith on and off campus, Emily Zeller ’14 fearlessly serves members of the community through the passions that most deeply motivate her.
Emily serves as the president of the Hillel group on campus and is excited about the new opportunities that Hillel has had this year, such as bringing in a student rabbi to lead services (this year was the first time that a rabbi had been brought in specifically to hold services for students on campus during the High …
The New B-Word, Dayna M. Seeger
The New B-Word, Dayna M. Seeger
SURGE
I get all of my career advice from Cosmopolitan magazine.
Okay, maybe not all of it. But sitting in the airport this past weekend, I breezed through articles about Khloé Kardashian and confessions about why guys cheat, and, somewhere in the middle, stumbled on an article called “Like a Boss.” It was written by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and author of Lean In, and described an issue I had never really given much thought to: why female leaders are, seemingly more often than male leaders, described as bossy. As a woman with a leadership position on campus, the …
Fearless: Haya Mohanna, Haya M. Mohanna
Fearless: Haya Mohanna, Haya M. Mohanna
SURGE
Constantly pursuing new avenues on and off campus to engage in different communities, raise awareness about issues in the Gaza Strip, and learn more about leadership, Haya Mohanna ’17 fearlessly pursues knowledge and activism opportunities to learn more about her own leadership style and capability to create change in her home community. [excerpt]
My (Not So) Angry Vagina, Mary E. Maloney
My (Not So) Angry Vagina, Mary E. Maloney
SURGE
Why is feminism a dirty word? Why are celebrities from Susan Sarandon to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry explicitly rejecting the feminist label? And why is Carrie Underwood saying, “I wouldn’t go so far as to say I am a feminist, that can come off as a negative connotation.”
Since when was there a negativity surrounding feminism? Well, basically since forever. [excerpt]
Drinking Bourbon With Cupid, Joseph L. Kirkenir
Drinking Bourbon With Cupid, Joseph L. Kirkenir
SURGE
It was Valentine’s Day, and rather than enjoying the suspiciously commercial holiday with a romantic partner, I was alone watching reruns of “How I Met Your Mother,” from a cozy armchair with a cigar in one hand and a glass of bourbon in the other. The show prompted me to examine the nature of relationships; specifically, how the media portrays them vastly different than reality and the implications that arise as a result. Romantic relationships in film and literature appear to be idealized to a ridiculous degree. Unfortunately for us, this means that we create unrealistic expectations for our partners …
Fearless: The Vagina Monologues, Center For Public Service
Fearless: The Vagina Monologues, Center For Public Service
SURGE
Performed annually around the world to celebrate womanhood, empower survivors of sexual assault and abuse, and create an open forum for challenging cultural attitudes toward women, the Vagina Monologues will be performed by Gettysburg College students next Thursday and Friday (February 20 & 21). [excerpt]
Because I Am, Ann M. Sasala
Because I Am, Ann M. Sasala
SURGE
Why?
“Because I am a Republican!”
Why?
“Because I am a Democrat!”
Why?
“Because I am a Christian!”
Why?
In America, religion and politics are not merely taboo dinner topics; it is strongly advised that you don’t discuss either one in nearly all situations. [excerpt]
Fearless: Emily Hauck, Emily G. Hauck
Fearless: Emily Hauck, Emily G. Hauck
SURGE
Beginning with an interest in Spanish language that led her to Argentina and Spain, Emily decided to use the language skills she acquired during her gap year after high school and time spent studying abroad to get herself connected to the Latino community in Adams County. Volunteering with different organizations and programs like the LIU #12 Migrant Education Programs, Casa de la Cultura, and El Centro, Emily started seeing the big picture—making connections between the immigration stories, people she was meeting, and the greater national dialogue on immigration issues. [excerpt]