The Women's and Gender Studies Program, along with the Women's Studies Student Association, is committed to challenging assumptions about beauty and body image.
Each October, they host a series of events and discussions that encourage individuals to expand their understanding of what it means to be beautiful, healthy, and in love with your body. The week of events falls in line with the National Organization of Women Foundation Love Your Body Day.
In the fall of 2011, WSSA undertook Operation Beautiful, posting inspiring messages around campus to remind individuals to remember what makes them important, powerful, beautiful individuals. The student group also hosted a film showing and discussion called "Shades of Beauty" and invited the campus to attend a Love Your Body, Move Your Body fitness class.
The Women's Studies Program hosted a talk by Dr. Suzanne Thigpen that examined not only issues concerning breast health but also addressed issues women face in medical school and the medical profession.
Other events have concentrated on revising limiting media portrayals of women's bodies. During October of 2012, the Women's Studies Program hosted an art exhibit by Atlanta photographer Rick Banks called "Embracing the I/Eye"; the photographs were displayed on the second floor of Reese Library.
In 2013 the WSSA welcomed students to design T-shirts with encouraging body positive messages on them, passed out information on STDs and STIs, and hosted a movie night.
In 2014, the main Love Your Body Week event was a photo shoot where students wrote something they loved about their body on a white board and posed for photos. The photos were combined and publicly displayed afterwards.
