Tag Archives: Local Feminists

On Wednesday, May 18, EWU lost a unique and talented woman.  Robin Strayer, CEDP 444 instructor, taught students her own interpretation of what it means to be a woman.  Robyn, in the process of earning her Ph.D. in counseling, was a warrior who embodied feminist qualities and modeled feminist action.

She often spoke of her experiences as a little girl growing up with a Southern Belle mom and her struggle to come to terms with the extreme femininity expected from her.  What she learned was to value her mom’s point of view while creating her own expectations for herself.

She internalized her mom’s wisdom and incorporated it into her life as a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy.  Robyn spoke of her pride in achieving the position of Chief Petty Officer, as well as her expectations around joining an elite association.  She expressed her sincere disappointment and confusion when she was not accepted with open arms into the exclusive and historically male-dominated club because of her gender.

Strong woman that she was, Robyn dealt with this development head-on and remained true to herself and her professional standing, enjoying a twenty year honored career.  She imparted to her students her wish for us to understand that human beings are not their circumstances, and that we are all valuable.  Read more... (238 words, 1 image, estimated 57 secs reading time)