Celebrating 50 Years in WGSS

An abridged 50 years of WGSS history

As a result of the Civil Rights Movement and the increased presence of women on Ohio State’s campus, the need for classes dedicated to discussing women and women’s issues was on the rise. Answering this call, in 1972 Dr. Barbara Rigney, the creator of one of the first women’s studies-related courses at Ohio State titled “Women Writers,” gathered other faculty members and graduate students who had taught courses related to the issues and experiences of women. The group met as an ad hoc committee named the Division of Comparative Literature.

This “division” was composed of self-selected and self-motivated feminists interested in creating a Center for Women’s Studies. Along with Barbara Rigney, notable figures such as Dr. Leila Rupp, Dr. Mildred Munday, Dr. Verta Taylor, and Pamela Unger, who eventually became the first interim director of the program, made up a group of various feminist faculty, staff and students dedicated to creating equity for women in all aspects of society. From its genesis, the Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies department was born from the growing interest and strategic organizing of Ohio State’s passionate faculty and students.

After two years of meticulous planning, the ad hoc committee proposed the Center for Women's Studies in 1974 to the Office of Academic Affairs and Council of Academic Affairs. Finally, in 1975 the committee's proposal was accepted and the Office of Women's Studies (OWS) got its start. Hitting the ground running, the office wasted no time developing The Sojourner, the program's first newsletter that same year, which featured feminist op-eds, information about women's studies classes and faculty, as well as various resources for women on campus. Following this, in 1976 Lisa Lopez became the first person to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in women's studies at Ohio State!

After four years under Dr. Mary Moffit's leadership, the OWS wrote a proposal for center distinction. And so, on May 30, 1980, the Center for Women’s Studies came into existence through the College of Humanities. That very same year, the university hired Dr. Marlene Longenecker to be the center director. She held this position until 1986. In those six years, the women’s studies program grew exponentially and began innovating its curriculum. We even hosted the 1983 NWSA conference, putting Ohio State’s women’s studies program on the map!

A few years later, Dr. Susan Hartmann began her role as director of the Center for Women’s Studies with Dr. Mary Margaret Fonow as assistant director in 1986. By the end of the ‘80s, the women’s studies faculty had doubled in size with professors who specialized in women’s health, African American women’s literature and history, Latina American feminism, and economics. Additionally, the center officially received university approval of the Master of Arts in women’s studies degree on Nov. 16, 1990.

Jumping forward, Dr. Sally Kitch became center director in 1992. Prior to joining Ohio State, she helped create and then chair the Wichita State University’s Women’s Studies Department for four years. Under her passionate leadership, there was a unanimous decision to grant the Center for Women’s Studies departmental status on Nov. 3, 1995.

In 2000, Dr. Valerie Lee took up the position of department chair. She would become the first Black woman to direct the program. She states “I still have hanging on the wall in my home library a duplicate copy of the Board of Trustees charter given to us on Feb. 1, 2002, for the establishment of a PhD program in women’s studies. It was State Resolution No. 2002-67!”

Eventually, Dr. Jill Bystydzienski began her time as chair, serving from 2006-2015. This era in the department is characterized by tremendous social change in terms of technological advancement, but also in terms of expanding the scope of women’s studies. For instance, the program decided to change its name to the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies in 2010 as a result of student demand for issues of gender, race, class, ability, and all marginalized identities to be addressed in any women’s studies course.

By 2016, Dr. Shannon Winnubst became the department chair of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. Under their chairship, the department was able to celebrate the development of the cutting-edge LGBTQ+ studies minor in the fall of 2020. She also successfully navigated the program during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was no small feat!

Now, as we approach the fall of 2025, Dr. Mytheli Sreenivas leads the departmental charge as chair into the challenging future. Under her leadership, the program and its community of scholars excitedly await the commemoration of 50 hard-fought years of women’s, gender and sexuality studies at Ohio State, as well as imagining and setting the stage for 50 more!