As part of our “Women on Wednesdays” series, please join the Women & Politics Institute as we mark the 50th anniversary of Ms. Magazine with a discussion on the evolution and future of feminism and feminist thought with Katherine Spillar, Executive Director of the Feminist Majority Foundation and Executive Editor of Ms. Magazine and WPI Instructor Lucy Gettman.

Spillar is also the editor of the recently released anthology, 50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution, which chronicles the five decades of the magazine’s “most startling, audacious, and norm-breaking pieces.” We will discuss some history-making articles that vaulted the magazine to the top of newsstands and pop culture. Order the book here

Katherine Spillar is the Executive Director and co-founder of Feminist Majority Foundation, a national organization working for women’s equality, empowerment, and non-violence. She is also the Executive Editor of Ms. Magazine, one of the largest print and online feminist news sites. Under her direction, Ms. has developed an innovative digital textbook resource, Ms. Classroom, covering current feminist topics and activism and used by instructors for all levels of women’s and gender studies courses in hundreds of college and university programs across the country.

Prior to co-founding the Feminist Majority Foundation, Spillar served four terms as President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Organization for Women, the largest chapter of NOW at the time. Spillar is magna cum laude graduate of Texas Christian University (TCU) and holds a Master of Science interdisciplinary degree in Economics and Urban Studies from Trinity University. In 2018, Spillar was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by TCU.

Lucy Gettman is an Adjunct Professional Lecturer for the School of Public Affairs’ Women & Politics Institute at American University. She is the Immediate Past Executive Director of Women In Government, an organization by and for the record number of women state legislators. She previously served as Chief Advocacy Officer for the National School Boards Association (NSBA) representing 90,000 locally elected school board members.

Prior to NSBA, Gettman was Director of Government Relations for the Reading Recovery Council of North America. She also held professional positions at the Ohio House of Representatives, the Ohio Attorney General and the Inter-University Council of Ohio. She also is Faculty In Residence & Lecturer for the John Glenn College of Public Affairs' NEW Leadership and Ready To Run programs at The Ohio State University. Gettman serves on the Executive Leadership Forum of Women in Government Relations (WGR) and is a past elected member of the University Area Commission in Columbus, Ohio, where she served as Vice President.

“Women On Wednesdays”: Ms. Magazine at 50