20 years Culture and Equality unit
2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the Culture and Equality unit. Anniversaries invite us to reflect what happened so far and to celebrate successes, but also to set new goals. For this, the unit organised many activities until June 2021.
Fresh off the Presses
20th Anniversary Publication
With the title "No Myth!", the 20th anniversary publication of the Culture and Equality unit collects the activities around the anniversary in one palce. The publication contains
- the interviews with Kastalia
- a selection of the submitted eyeroll photos and statements
- forewords by Sylwia Bukowska and Renée Schroeder
- the special supplement "Discrimination - I won't take part in that!"
The publication can be downloaded here (PDF, in German) or ordered in print with a mail to equality@univie.ac.at!
Thank you to all contributors!
Sing Along
Roll Roll Roll Your Eyes
Queer STS Forum published the final entry into the anniversary activities: a feminist protest song with the title "Roll Roll Roll Your Eyes". You are cordially invited to sing along.
Rolling our eyes together - be part of it!
It is not only the Culture and Equality unit who work for equality - many people inside and outside the university are working towards that goal. Their activities are not always appreciated. Instead they are often met with rolling eyes. On the occasion of the anniversary we all came together and rolled our eyes back. The collected eyerolls are published in the anniversary publication.
Kastalia is the first to roll her eyes.
(c) der Knopfdrücker
Sara Ahmed
Why the eyeroll?
The feminist Sara Ahmed writes in her book Living a Feminist Life: "Eyes seem to roll wherever you go, whatever you say. […] It can seem as if eyes roll as an expression of collective exasperation because you are feminist."
Sara Ahmed expresses that anti-discriminatory activism is often faced with a certain irritation that forces feminists into a defensive position. Considering continuing injustices it is feminists who are irritated, though. Irritated that they have to fight the same fights over and over again. Therefore it is time that feminists discover the eyeroll for themselves as an expression for that irritation.
Kastalia on Equality
To celebrate the anniversary, the unit was able to interview Kastalia. In a series of 10 parts, Kastalia talks about many different aspects of equality and working for equality at the University of Vienna.
- Dossier in uni:view with all posts
(c) der Knopfdrücker
Videos on Equality
Postcards on equality topics
In the course of the anniversary, we also made postcards that deal with equality issues at the university. You can download the (German) postcards here or order them in print in the unit with a short mail to equality@univie.ac.at!
Postcards designed by Barbara Weingartshofer, NAU*Design
Anniversary party
On June 16, 2021 we celebrated the grand finale of all the anniversary activities via live stream from the Theater Drachengasse. The topic of the party was the past, present and futur of gender equality and diversity at the University of Vienna, with talks from Rector Heinz W. Engl, Vice-Rector Jean-Robert Tyran, head of the unit Sylwia Bukowska and the president of the Equal Opportunities Working Party, Susanne Hochreiter. The programme was accompanied by Anita Zieher and Sandra Schüddekopf from the portraittheater, as well as musicians Ingrid Oberkanins and Ilse Riedler. Additionally the anniversary publication was introduced.
We thank everyone who celebrated with us.
(c) derknopfdruecker.com