The Politics of Respectability: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Female Bodies & Behaviors

The Fall Lunchtime Seminar Series hosted by the Wellesley Centers for Women will conclude on Thursday, November 15, with the program, “The Politics of Respectability: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Female Bodies & Behaviors.” The program will run from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in room 413 of the Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center at Wellesley College.

The politics of respectability refers to the ways in which marginalized groups are subjugated to mainstream cultural values by members of their own groups. In this seminar, led by LaShawnda Lindsay-Dennis, Ph.D., participants will examine how respectability politics influence the lived experiences of girls from diverse cultural backgrounds. Participants will engage in a critical discussion about how societal beliefs about notions of femininity, respect, and dignity often polices the bodies and behaviors of girls from marginalized groups.

LaShawnda Lindsay-Dennis, Ph.D., is a research scientist at the Centers. Over the past decade, her research has created a platform that sheds light on the social determinants, racial injustices, and cultural biases that burden the progression and viability of Black girls and women.

The Lunchtime Seminar Series at the Wellesley Centers for Women is free and open to the public. Guests are invited to bring their lunches, and the Centers will provide tea and coffee. For accessibility questions, contact Disability Services at Wellesley College at [email protected]edu or call 781.283.2434. The Lunchtime Seminar Series schedule is subject to change. To confirm program lineup and location, call 781.283.2500 or visit wcwonline.org/calendar.

For those who are unable to attend in person, the program will be streamed live on the Wellesley Centers for Women Facebook page (@wcwonline). Recordings from past seminars are posted online at wcwonline.org/video.