Lane Hall Exhibit Space

Resistance Is Fertile honors the founding moment of the Institute for Research on Women & Gender, while speaking to the present. The institute was established because faculty members believed that research on women, gender, and sexuality required an institutional commitment to thrive. That belief was itself a form of resistance—to disciplinary silos, to marginalization, to the idea that such scholarship was peripheral.

This theme reminds us that resistance is not merely reactive; it is constructive. When rooted in collaboration and sustained through infrastructure, it produces knowledge that reshapes disciplines, institutions, and public life.

This exhibit celebrates 30 years of IRWG—its history, its programs, and the people whose vision and labor built it into what it is today. Through archival materials, milestones, and stories, we trace the evolution of an institute that has continually expanded the boundaries of research in women, gender, and sexuality.

This exhibit centers growth, collaboration, and intellectual creativity—honoring the sustained efforts, bold ideas, and collective care that have shaped IRWG’s legacy and continue to guide its future.

Hosted and sponsored by the Institute for Research on Women and Gender and the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, U-M. Curated by Stephen Gonzales and Grace Mahoney.