Judy Norsigian Inspires Students 

Emily P. Goodstein, Voices for Choices President 

On October 24^th a group of students met in the basement of Monroe Hall.  The crowd was a mix of “typical college students,” clad in their GW sweatshirts and sneakers, and others, not so common in the GW classroom.  The mixture was peculiar because of the myriad of generations present in the classroom.  The diversity of the class on this particular day made what we were about to hear even more significant.

The lecture began with a quick introduction by Mary Anne Saunders, professor of the “Women And Aging” (WSTU 701) course we had all assembled to hear.  After the introduction, a spirited Judy Norsigian took a seat at the front of the classroom.  The way she carried herself and perched herself atop the table created a casual and informal feeling in the room.

You could tell that Norsigian was a founding member of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective and a contributor to the 1998 update of Our Bodies, Ourselves simply by looking at the handouts available at the back of the crowded room.  What was not so obvious was the amazing wealth of knowledge Norsigian displayed.  She sat at the front of the room for over two hours discussing issues crucial to women’s health today –hormone replacement therapy, calcium intake, the morning after pill– without notes or even a sip of water.   Her enthusiasm regarding what she was talking about was obvious to anyone in the room.  She enjoyed what she was doing and could have gone on for two more hours without a break. 

The lecture was an eye-opening experience for me and my mother, who was eager to join me for this unique opportunity!  I am still in the process of reading one of the many books Norsigian recommended to her audience back in October: Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy by Walter Willett of the Harvard Medical School.