National Women’s History Month celebrates the accomplishments of women throughout every aspect of history and society. It is so important to recognize inspirational and trailblazing women who have paved the path towards gender equality and women’s empowerment.
One such woman who deserves recognition is the University of Florida’s own Women Studies Professor — Dr. Anita Anantharam. Dr. Anantharam has worked at the University of Florida’s Center for Gender, Sexualities and Women’s Studies Research since 2006. She received her BA from Columbia University, MA at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Anathram has conducted extensive research surrounding the topics of nationalism and feminism in South Asia, human capital, social justice and women’s empowerment.
Dr. Ananthram’s passion for women’s studies has led her to spark change in the lives of so many.
Q. How did you decide to become a women’s study professor? When did your passion for women’s studies begin?
A. My passion for WST began in college when I took my first women’s studies class as a junior. We were asked to do a project in the community (I was a student at Columbia University in NYC) around women and immigration and from that day forward when I started volunteering at a women’s shelter for Indian immigrant women I knew I loved the field. It wasn’t until graduate school at Berkeley that I decided I wanted to be a professor. I was a single mom with a baby and university life seemed better suited to being a single parent.
Q. What is your favorite class/subject to teach in the women’s study department and why?
A. Transnational feminism. It connects past colonialism and colonial histories to modern-day ones – it was the class I was hired to teach in 2007.
Q. Why do you think National Women’s History Month is important?
A. Women are often written out of history and at least once a year it is nice to have that reminder. I think like Black History month or Asian American history month we need to celebrate this all year but once a year is at least a good reminder to do that.
Q. Can you discuss why you think the “MBA” (Mind, Body, Authenticity) group is important for college women?
A. Women have always been historically very much behind “men” when it comes to social capital (networking) and financial capital (understanding money). Historically women’s social and financial capital has to tie to their relationship with men. I want to change that dynamic and make women rich and successful in their own right.
Q. Do you have any suggestions for how college students can further educate themselves and actually make a difference in regards to women’s empowerment?
A. They can join our program – we plan to give everyone who joins money to set up their investment portfolios, teach them how to invest, and how to become wealthy and confident in their leadership and financial literacy!