Lillian Faderman on Woman—The American History of an Idea
Join us for an in-person program and meet the acclaimed author of the new book Woman: The American History of an Idea. The New York Times' Alexandra Jacobs called it "An ambitious attempt to delineate nothing less than the changing state of being female in this country over the past four centuries. Woman is exhaustively researched and finely written."
We'll delve into the heart of the subject. What does it mean to be a woman in America? Faderman has traced the meaning of the word from the Puritans to the sexual revolution of the 1960s to the age of #metoo, Amy Coney Barrett, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the transgender movement.
She'll discuss a history of conflicts, retreats, defeats and hard-won victories in both the private and public spheres. Faderman also argues that successful challenges to the status quo are often short-lived, and the idea of womanhood in America continues to be contested.
Don't miss this intriguing discussion, and bring your questions!
About the Speaker
Lillian Faderman is an internationally-known scholar of LGBT history and women’s history. Her work has been widely recognized by numerous awards, including seven Lambda Literary Awards, two American Library Association Awards, and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. Three of her books, Surpassing the Love of Men, Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers, and The Gay Revolution, were named by The New York Times on its annual list of “Notable Books of the Year.”
This program is made possible by the generous support of Alaska Airlines.
See more Michelle Meow Show programs at The Commonwealth Club of California.
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Taube Family Auditorium
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Lillian Faderman
Professor Emerita, California State University, Fresno; Author, Woman: The American History of an Idea; Twitter @lillianfaderman
Michelle Meow
Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KBCW TV and Podcast; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors—Co-host
John Zipperer
Producer and Host, Week to Week Political Roundtable; Vice President of Media & Editorial, The Commonwealth Club of California—Co-host