A Look Back at “Donner des elles àUMin Pictures
As it does every March, the University of Montpellier organized its “Donner des elles àUM event to promote gender equality. The event featured workshops, a roundtable discussion, a movie screening at home, and the creation of a mural titled “Theory of Being Together.” Here’s a look back at this fifth edition—held virtually and led by the Workplace Quality of Life Department of the Campus Life Division—through photos and participant testimonials.
A man and a woman are assembling a large poppy that floats above their heads. The man is perched on a stepladder, while the woman balances on a pyramid of chairs. This is how Montpellier-based artist Débitdebeau chose to illustrate the theme of gender equality in the professional and academic worlds. “The poppy and the red thread are recurring elements in this artist’s work; they also serve as a reference to the ‘Nous voulons des coquelicots’ movement,” explains Victoria Beauchesne, a civic service volunteer in the art and culture department, who assisted the artist during the creation of this piece. The work, titled *Théorie d’être ensemble*, is now on display in Building 7 on the Triolet campus.
Follow the creation process step by step with this time-lapse video by Lune Jezequel, who is also a civic service volunteer inUM Art and Culture Department.
Verbal Self-Defense Workshop and Roundtable Discussion
This month’s focus on equality at the University of Montpellier also featured a virtual roundtable that brought together about thirty people to work on a practical, concrete project: collaborating to design an informational resource for victims of sexual or gender-based violence. Nadia was one of the participants in this roundtable. She says she feels a strong connection to this issue, which “resonates with my personal story.” “I myself have benefited from the support ofUM servicesUM I found a listening ear, comfort, and kindness. It’s a blessing, when you’re going through difficult times—both personally and professionally—to work in an environment that supports you.”
“Every situation is unique, but we hope that this information resource—to which manyUM departmentsUM DVC, DAGI, DRH, SCMPPS, etc.) will contribute—will enable victims, who are sometimes under a great deal of stress, to have all the information they need at their fingertips,” adds Agnès Fichard-Carroll, Vice President for Social Responsibility.
The verbal self-defense workshops, meanwhile, drew about a hundred participants from among the university’s students and staff. Florence is a regular at these training sessions and workshops. While she doesn’t feel she’s struggling herself, she knows that life sometimes presents challenges and is always looking for tools she can use in her professional and personal life. First aid, nonviolent communication, or managing difficult situations—“this one was a little different; the goal wasn’t to avoid conflict but to learn how to confront it so you can say ‘no,’ ‘stop,’ or ‘this situation isn’t right for me.’”
Homophobia, sexism, racism, and discrimination against people with disabilities—during these workshops, the participants were able to reflect on the appropriate response to take when they experience or witness this type of situation. “All the examples the facilitator used were real-life situations, and almost all of them could have involved men as well as women. It was both fun and interesting because we all had quite different ways of reacting.” However, she felt the experience was a bit too short and would gladly do it again—“and why not try to get some men to participate?” she asks.
Fighting Stereotypes with Hogar
Another type of workshop, another way to express oneself: art. Between February1 and March 9,UM students and staffUM able to benefit from the talent and expertise of visual artist Hogar. Two online workshops were held, during which participants were introduced to the graphic arts. Paper, glue, scissors, markers, and a deft touch gave rise to ten original works centered on the theme “Breaking Free from Clichés.”
Finally, more than a hundred people logged on to watch—just like at the movies—Sébastien Lifshitz’s latest film, *Adolescentes*, which won three awards at the 2021 César Awards, including Best Documentary. See you next year for another edition of your “Donner des elles àUM person this time.