Feminist Studies Department at UCSC

Congratulations to our FMST Class of 2025 graduates! Founded in 1974, the Feminist Studies program has been a core part of UCSC’s origin story. The first FMST cohort graduated 50 years ago in 1975, and the department recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gathering of alums representing five decades of feminist scholarship. Feminist studies is so much more than a major; it is a way of life! As we take our next steps forward, I hope all of you continue to carry your feminist lens into the world. While the department has been disestablished, the administration is working to ensure the continuation of the Feminist major within UCSC. GO FMST SLUGS!!

Good luck with finals! Shout-out to the seniors who will be taking their last finals of college — you got this! Summer is coming :)

June is officially Pride Month, a time for reflection and appreciation. It began in honor of the Stonewall riots in 1969 when LGBTQIA+ people fought back against the discrimination they were facing. This yearly recognition serves to increase visibility, celebrate, and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. Give back to the community and support business owners who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The 1970s was a decade of revitalized feminism that saw the publication of Our Bodies, Ourselves, the passage of Title IX, the legalization of abortion with Roe v Wade, and icons like Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan and Audre Lorde advocating for greater equality for women in all aspects of society. This post honors Susan Brownmiller, one of those 1970s activists, who recently passed away. Brownmiller’s book, Against Our Will: Men, Women and R**e, was published in 1975 - the same year UCSC’s first Women’s Studies cohort graduated. A seminal work of second-wave feminism, it was selected by The New York Public Library as one of the 100 most important books of the 20th century.

What does Feminist Studies mean to you? Here are some responses from the 2025 FMST Research Symposium. Thank you to everyone who attended this fantastic event, and to all the amazing student rersearchers who shared their work with us!

The pioneering Feminist Studies department was established as the Women’s Studies program at UCSC in 1974, and has been home to many of the field’s most prominent thinkers. Feminist Studies was established as the Women’s Studies program at UCSC in 1974. For this celebratory event, a panel of eight alums in a range of professions will engage with Distinguished Feminist Studies Professor Emerita Bettina Aptheker to discuss the influence of feminist studies on their careers, their lives, and society at large. As we head to the disestablishment of the department, we want to celebrate Feminist Studies and its accomplishments. Please join us! More info and list of alum speakers on our website - hit the link in our profile.

https://www.instagram.com/ucscfeministstudies/

The 2025 FMST Research Symposium is on Friday, May 16! Come out to the Hay Barn to see and hear the work of your fellow feminist cohort. Swipe through to see our featured speakers. And look for the list of student speakers coming soon! We are so excited to see you all there!

The 2025 FMST Research Symposium is coming up soon! Mark your calendar for Friday, May 16, and come out to the Hay Barn to see and hear the work of your fellow feminist cohort.

It is International May Day. Swipe through to learn about the history of this day and the protests happening TODAY, including one here at UCSC.