Gender and Feminisms Caucus (Founded 1994)

Gender and Feminisms Caucus (Founded 1994, Formerly Women's Caucus)

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Who We Are

The Gender and Feminisms Caucus of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies was formed in 1994 to represent and promote scholars involved in the study of gender and feminisms related to screen and media cultures. The Caucus is committed to promoting interdisciplinary and transnational feminist-informed panels, papers, and workshops at the annual SCMS conference. The Caucus also works to support our membership year-round through initiatives like graduate student writing awards, mentorship programs, and sponsored events. We recognize that a truly intersectional approach to feminist community-building in academia means: supporting marginalized scholars at every stage of their professional lives; naming and working towards alleviating the precarious working conditions and devalued labor that continue to proliferate in academia; and celebrating the ways that our membership’s experience of academia is shaped by multiple identities. These include, but are not limited to, gender, race, sexuality, ability, class, and age.

In 2022, members voted to change our name from the “Women’s Caucus” to the “Gender and Feminisms Caucus” in order more explicitly to reflect the queer- and trans-inclusivity and solidarity that shapes our values and praxis as feminist media studies scholars. As part of our ongoing project of building community and solidarity across SCMS and other professional networks, the Gender and Feminisms Caucus strives to provide opportunities for connection and collaboration among members doing work on gender, feminisms, and oppression in all of its interconnected forms.

Our Activities & Accomplishments

The caucus was originally founded in 1994 “to promote parity for women’s intellectual and practical work in film, TV, and video.” Over the years, the Women’s Caucus made many achievements in its efforts to support women members of SCMS. Co-chairs set up an innovative mentorship program that provided graduate students and early career faculty with opportunities to learn from more experienced colleagues. It was the first SCMS caucus to offer an annual graduate student writing prize, established in 2015 with Feminist Media Histories to celebrate emerging voices in the field. Grrrls’ Night Out became a long-running social and networking event that brought members together beyond the more formal discussions of the SCMS annual conference.

Goals and Objectives

To serve as a resource for the diverse female membership of SCMS in order to facilitate member's teaching and research as well as their professional development within their scholarly areas, their departments and their institutions at all stages of their careers.
To encourage communication and collaboration with other SCMS caucuses and special interest groups as well as with other professional organizations.
To take on special projects such as specially designated panels, joint conferences, plenary participation, workshops and mentoring and peer support opportunities and to publicize these among the members of the Women's Caucus.
To encourage emerging established scholars in the Women's Caucus to submit their work to Cinema Journal and other professional publications and to promote new scholarship by members.
To further develop and maintain the Women's Caucus website so that it can serve as a resource portal for the membership.

Our History

The history of our Caucus shows a continued attention to women's issues within our profession and our practice. Our mission, as defined in 1994, addresses our passion and commitment to the discipline, to our shared professional Society, and to the support and mentorship of women within these communities. "Our aim is to promote parity for women's intellectual and practical work in film, TV and video by working with other caucuses to advocate racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and class equity in SCS [SCMS], in academia, and in the communities in which we live and work."

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