"Donner des Elles à l'UM": a month of March dedicated to gender equality at the University of Montpellier

International Women's Rights Day doesn't last a day, but a month at the University of Montpellier. From March¹ to 31, 2023, for its ^7th edition, "Donner des Elles à l'UM" (Giving Women a voice at the UM) proposes to work together to advance gender equality through a rich program of actions focused on women's bodies. It's a privileged moment at the confluence of reflection, questioning and action on gender equality, which must take precedence throughout the year.

March diary "Donner des Elles à l'UM" (Giving Elles to the UM)

This month's program of events is open to all, and includes three distinguished guests: Karen Messing, Quebec ergonomist and geneticist, Professor Emeritus at UQAM (Montreal), and specialist in women's health at work; Béatrice Barthe, Maîtresse de Conférences HDR in Ergonomics and President of the Société d'Ergonomie de Langue Française; and Florence Chappert, Project Manager for "Gender, equality, health and working conditions" at the Agence Nationale pour l'Amélioration des Conditions de Travail. Their videoconference presentation, entitled "Femmes et Hommes au travail : deux poids, deux mesures" (Women and men at work: two weights, two measures), will be moderated by Agnès Fichard-Carroll, Vice-President, Formation et Vie Universitaire, in charge of gender equality. The film "L'événement ", Lion d'or at the Venice Film Festival, based on the novel by Annie Ernaux, winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize for Literature, will be shown at the MDE Richter in Montpellier. A street art lecture on gender and identity in urban art by activist artist Kashink will question the fluidity of gender. Throughout the month, the photo exhibition "Flou.e" by photographer and visual artist Cahuate Milk will also be on view at the Faculté d'Education on the Mende and Perpignan sites. His images invite us to question the preconceived ideas that determine the quality of a photo and gender stereotypes. The University of Montpellier will also be offering a DJ set and improvised aerobics classes with Dj La Frange aka Vanessa Lextreyt, also open to all.

Other events reserved for the university community include the "Explore your identity" art workshop with artist Kashink, and reserved seats for the choreographic piece "Baal", presented by the Théâtre Jean Vilar and performed by the Groupe Noces company, a quintet of male dancers and acrobats resolutely engaged with the issue of feminism. In Carcassonne, Maddalena Pornaro and Virginie Terroitin, architects with the l'amicale collective (association de pratiques collectives et expérimentales), will lead discussions and debates on "gender and public spaces", with the aim of better understanding why certain uses and behaviours may differ according to gender, and how to design spaces so that everyone feels at home. Also on the program is "C'est quoi ton genre?", a screening, again at the Carcassonne site, of 8 short films that question gender stereotypes and take a different look at how to promote gender equality.

Click here for the full program, locations, dates and times.

For a greater culture of equality between women and men

Equality between women and men has long been a commitment at the University of Montpellier, and was given concrete expression in 2020 with the implementation of its plan for professional equality between women and men. "Donner des Elles à l'UM" will also be an opportunity to present the results of this first action plan, with more than 39 missions completed or in the process of being deployed out of the 40 proposed two years ago. And to present the 2023-2025 plan, which will consolidate the University of Montpellier's determination and mobilization for gender equality.