| About
AWP
Welcome
to the AWP website. It is our hope that you will find
this site a useful tool for networking and for providing information
about our organization. You will find information about our
upcoming conference, awards & prizes for feminist psychologists,
membership in the organization, as well as information about
specific caucuses and regions. Visit the section about
POWR-L if you are interested in a feminist psychology email
list.
AWP
is an incorporated, not-for-profit scientific and educational
feminist organization devoted to reevaluating and reformulating
the role that psychology and the mental health field generally
play within women's lives. It seeks to act responsibly and
sensitively with regard to women by challenging the unquestioned
assumptions, research traditions, theoretical commitments,
clinical and professional practices, and institutional and
societal structures that limit the understanding, treatment,
professional attainment, and responsible self-determination
of women and men, or that contribute to unwelcome divisions
between women based on race, ethnicity, age, social class,
sexual orientation or religious affiliation.
Its role
thus includes education and sensitization of mental health
professionals, encouragement and recognition of women's concerns
and those who promote them, reconceptualization and expansion
of perspectives within psychology, advocacy and critique regarding
professional and institutional practices, and the provision
of opportunities for creative feminist contributions and the
dissemination of feminist ideas. Founded in 1969 at the American
Psychological Associations annual convention, AWP operates
outside of APA's organizational structure and maintains a
broader-than-psychology membership and vision. Lobbying by
AWP was directly responsible for the establishment of an
APA Division of the Psychology of Women (Division 35)
in 1973; joint AWP and Division 35 efforts culminated in the
creation of a Women's Program Office at APA's national headquarters.
AWP sponsors regional and national conferences on feminist
psychology as well as several annual awards.
We frequently collaborate with other organizations in promoting
a feminist approach to research, teaching, and mental health,
and maintain an active liaison program with other feminist
and psychological organizations. AWP has been an official
Non-Governmental Organization of the United Nations since
1976 and has participated in international conferences.
For a more
detailed description of our organization, read our
Bylaws.
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Objectives
The
Association for Women in Psychology is an incorporated not-for-profit
scientific and educational feminist organization devoted to:
1. Challenging
unfounded assumptions about the psychological "natures"
of women and men.
2. Encouraging feminist psychological research on sex and
gender.
3. Combating the oppression of women of color.
4. Developing a feminist model of psychotherapy.
5. Achieving equality for women within the profession of psychology
and allied disciplines.
6. Promoting unity among women of all races, ages, social
classes, sexual orientations, physical abilities, and religions.
7. Sensitizing the public and the profession to the psychological,
social, political, and economic problems of women.
8. Helping women create individual sexual identities.
9. Encouraging research on the issues of concern to women
of color.
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Activism
One of AWP's
primary purposes is feminist activism. The AWP agenda
includes efforts to eliminate racism in public and private
organizations. One goal of the Association is to make
people aware of the interface between gender and race in examining
the psychology of women. As an incorporated not-for-profit
organization, AWP may not lobby or endorse political candidates,
but we do engage in educational efforts regarding public issues.
The AWP Spokesperson has a major role in protesting sexist,
racist, or homophobic events that affect women's psychology
or mental health. Ad hoc committees aimed at confronting
specific issues often emerge from business meetings.
AWP also supports activism within other professional organizations
through AWP liaisons and regional
chapters. We support feminist organizations on issues
concerning women's mental health, feminist scholarship, and
broad political issues. We collaborate with groups that
are committed to the elimination of racial oppression and
those that have a strong anti-racist agenda. Feminist
research groups, networking meetings, peer case conferences,
professional workshops and regional conferences are all encouraged
by AWP through the Regional Coordinator.
Internationally, AWP has been affiliated with the United Nations
since 1976 as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
We have presented feminist psychological work at numerous
international meetings, including Copenhagen (1980), Nairobi
(1985), Sydney (1988), and Beijing (1995).
Herstory
The Association
for Women in Psychology was convened during the 1969 meeting
of the American Psychological Association because APA was
not responding to the issues raised by the new women's liberation
movement. AWP members continued to speak out at APA
meetings over the next few years about employment discrimination,
sexual harassment, lack of research and theory on women, and
other issues we now collect under the term "sexism."
Because of AWP's efforts, an official group for the psychology
of women (Division
35) was created in APA in 1973. In 1977, joint AWP
and Division 35 efforts resulted in the creation of a Women's
Program Office at APA headquarters. Two decades later,
AWP continues to play an active role outside of APA, sponsoring
annual and occasional regional conferences on feminist psychology
and publishing a newsletter. We make several awards
annually on topics relevant to feminist psychology.
Process
One of AWP's
proudest achievements is our continuing, always evolving,
reliance on feminist process. The Implementation
Collective (our governing board) works as a cooperative
unit, has voluntary members, and open meetings. The
Collective and AWP overall includes lesbian, bisexual, and
straight women, white women and women of color, academic and
nonacademic women, and graduate students.
About
Our Symbol
The AWP
Symbol is a fusion of the 23rd letter of the Greek Alphabet,
Psi, and the Woman's Sign. Psi is commonly used by Psychological
organizations to represent the study of the mind. The Women's
Sign is recognized as a symbol of women's liberation.
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