Conference to focus on young women’s relationships

ORONO – A conference on girls’ and young women’s sometimes difficult and abusive relationships, including a session that addresses these issues at the elementary school level, is set for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Donald P. Corbett Business Building, University of Maine.

Annette Klinefelter, director of Girls’ Initiative Network, a coalition of girls, young women and adult supporters in Portland, Ore., will lead an afternoon workshop titled “Allies in Action: Building Healthy Relationships Between Girls.”

Klinefelter has argued that relationship aggression among young girls is largely ignored because it has been “normalized” by culture, by girls and adults, and also is frustrating to try to curb. However, with increased public awareness about female aggression and its impact on self-esteem and learning, parents and schools are beginning to question the underlying motives for aggressive behavior and find successful ways to intervene, she said.

Sharon Barker, director of the UMaine Women’s Resource Center and organizer of the conference, “Girls will be Girls: A Curriculum for Change,” said Klinefelter’s workshop will be an important part of the day’s events.

The conference begins with a showing of the film, “Girls will be Girls? Aggression, Sexuality and Body Image,” followed by a panel discussion of issues covered by the video. Panelists include Lyn Mikel Brown, professor of women’s studies, education and human development at Colby College in Waterville; Mary Madden, assistant research professor from the college of education and human development at UMaine; Dorothy Foote, coordinator of the Diversity Coalition in Camden; Aileen Fortune of the Gender Project, Turn Beauty Inside Out initiative and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Sanford. Barker will moderate.

The second afternoon workshop, “From Adversaries to Allies: A Curriculum for Change,” was designed by researchers and students at the University of Maine and Colby College.

Information about cost and registration is available at www.wrc.umaine.edu/ or by calling 581-1508.