Why highlight Pamela O’leary?
As my Gender, Power, and Politics professor at American University, Pamela O’leary changed my brand of feminism. She opened my mind to taking a more political approach to feminism, made me more conscious of my personal “brand” and opened my eyes to the feminist career opportunities available to me. Her dedication to empowering women (like myself) to lead, in spite of sexism, makes her a sextivist!
What inspired her sextivism?
In “Ten Years Ago Today I Realized My Vocation”, a blog post, on her blog Women on Top Pamela O’leary discusses how her life, and her career became involved with feminism. In her own words, after she became aware that two of her close friends had been raped, her perspective on sexism and the need for feminism changed her. She goes on to say:
“For better or worst, through this experience, I clearly found my passion in life. I am deeply grateful to these rape survivors and all the others who have shared their story with me. I am so inspired by the incredible power survivors have to reclaim their lives and not give up.”
Career in feminism:
According to her LinkedIn profile:
- She is an Adjunct Professor and Curriculum Design Consultant at American University
- She is an ElectHer facilitator, and is on the Board of Directors at Running Start
- She is an adjunct professor at Trinity College
- She was invited to serve as an expert for the UN System-Wide Action Plan (SWAP) for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
These are just a FEW of the projects, organizations and jobs that Pamela O’leary has had recently.
In addition to working as a part of these organizations, she maintains her own blog about women’s political leadership.
Q & A with Pamela O’leary
Q: What groups, clubs, organizations etc. do you work on sextivist issues with?
A: “Women’s Information Network, Running Start, Women’s Foreign Policy Group, Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, Young Education Professionals, Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, United Nations Association, and the American Association for University Women”
Q: What forms of everyday activism do you suggest that people incorporate into their lives?
A: “blogging, social media, conversations with friends”
Q: What takeaways will you want my reader to walk a away with?
A: “Once a person loves themselves then they can truly help others”
Want to know more about this sextivist?
Follow her blog Women on Top!
Follow her on Twitter @olearypd
REGINA A. MONGE 