Speaker Jon Hansen better call up the Charlie Kirk brigades to wage rightwing-snowflake war against the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at USD–Sioux Falls. The obviously woke OLLI held a seminar yesterday promoting women, and history, and women’s history:
At Avera Hall on the Sioux Falls USD campus, people gathered to learn a history lesson from the people who lived it.
“It is local women telling their stories of things they experience in the workforce. Essentially during the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, as women were getting out, breaking those glass ceilings and doing things that women had not done before,” OLLI Leadership Council Member, Mary Enright said.
…“We’re recording these stories so that they’re not forgotten. They’re not shoved aside in history. Our members are being asked to be inspired by these women and then to take home archival paper that we have for them so that they can write their own stories,” Enright said.
…Women at the event were able to take a paper to fill out their story and what they went through. That will be archived at the Center for Western studies at Augustana University [Summer Raderschadt, “Learning About Women’s History from Those Who Lived It,” KELO-TV, 2025.10.07].
I’m surprised Pete Hegseth didn’t order the National Guard to Sioux Falls to quell this clearly insurrectionist outbreak of divisive anti-male feminazism. And I’m surprised Speaker Hansen hasn’t rattled USD President Sheila Gestring’s cage to demand that she evict such controversy-stirring dividers from her public campus.
Women’s history shouldn’t be divisive or controversial, but Saint Charlie Kirk would be appalled:
Turning Point USA, which is now headed by Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, advocates against feminism and encourages women to be homemakers who “submit” to their husbands, stating that “the kitchen is where the real revolution starts” [Emma Cordover, “What Trump’s New Civics Education Program Means for Women’s History,” Politico, 2025.09.26].
If any Hansen/Kirkites feel oppressed by OLLI’s humble assertion that we ought to tell and remember women’s stories, OLLI’s Fall 2025 catalog offers this Statement on Controversial Issues and Speakers:
The sentiments and beliefs of some of our instructors may, on occasion, be controversial or divisive. To ensure the inherent rights of free speech and freedom of expression, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of South Dakota will not censure or limit any materials or opinions expressed by the persons involved [OLLI at USD, Fall 2025 Catalog, p. 1].
Wow—a straight-up affirmation of the First Amendment? From a USD entity? I’m surprised President Gestring hasn’t chided OLLI for being so direct and not subordinating talk of free speech to admonitions to all speakers to mind their manners.
Possibly Related: On Thursday, SDSU Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Political Science Bob Burns presents the second session of “The Evolution and Devolution of Democracy in the United States“:
Essential elements of modern democracy and the emergence of various elements in our political system over time will be presented. The erosion of certain elements in the present day will be noted [OLLI, Fall 2025 Catalog, p. 9].
Come on Cory, I’m sure Mary Enright got permission from her hubby first.
I’m sure Erika Kirk gets answers from her hubby every prayer she sends him. Otherwise how could she lead turning point?
I’m also sure that Taylor will swiftly obey her new hubby, aren’t you?
Gnarly Jerk is still unlived, ain’t he? I suspect men who say women belong in the kitchen will turn more women against these men than they will convince.
Great news. The artist for the Charlie Kirk memorial at New College has yet to be picked. I would do wonders with those unusually small features on such a big head. There must be a medical term for that.
I’ll change my name first. Maybe just my last. Martyrdumbldore? Transportation Roe? Backothebus?. Barefootnpreggers? Homoerectus?. Tojewsornotojews.
I might have played for your HS prom. Who woulda thunk, Mr. Mark (‘fraidy cat’) Homoerectus or Mark (‘getcherasstothe’) backothebus? :)
Thank you, Cory, for this article. S.D. is not a place for women to stand up to be noticed, recognized, or remembered They are behind the scenes here in every respect.
It was during the 80’s in California when attended community college and then university. Women teachers were visible on campus and history classes were offered on children and women in history. More men and nontraditional students attended many of these classes and history became one of my majors because we were visible in the history books as well. I became driven.
Lo and behold, Rush Limbaugh showed up in northern California as a talk show host and rivaled my favorite libertarian, Tom Licas. Rush called women like me “feminazis” and said we were ugly women craving acceptance. I’ve been battling that stereo type ever since, especially in S.D.
Everyone should be proud of themselves, their histories, their immigrant ancestors and what we have ALL accomplished. Everyone has a story.
In 2018 South Dakota ranked 50th in women’s workplace environment and 38th overall in WalletHub’s Best & Worst States. The red moocher state climbed to 32nd in 2019 but sank again in 2020 to surf the bottom for women’s equality at 38th and 41st in empowerment.
In 2022, of the 25 best states for women 22 of them were blue according to rankings from WalletHub. My home state of South Dakota held 51st place for the number of women who own businesses, 49th in percentage of women who voted in 2020 but tied for 1st with North Dakota for lowest unemployment among women. The bottom 8 states for women’s well-being were red.
In 2023 20 of the 25 best states for women were blue but 17 of the worse states for women were red. North and South Dakota were still tied for first place in rates of employed women while New Mexico is still too high in rates of women living in poverty. South Dakota was 50th in women-owned businesses and 41st in women’s health care and safety.
This year Sioux Falls is the 96th best town for women and Rapid City is 163rd. South Dakota is still 51st in the percentage of women-owned businesses.
Quite interesting larry kurtz. I know women who have changed their business names to either male gender names or non-gender names to attract business.