By Rachel Schwartz

English teacher Malina Mamigonian will take over the gender studies and ethics classes this year after former humanities teacher Martha Wheelock’s retirement. Wheelock asked her to fill the position last year and helped Mamigonian reconfigure the courses.

Mamaigonian described gender studies as a continuation of the philosophically-focused ethics course that looks at gender as a constructed idea imposed by society. Mamigonian will “pursue understanding of that construction in other cultures, in business, in the home,” she said.

Mamigonian will also start a new chapter of Girls Learn International, a program that explores human rights issues and will help Harvard-Westlake begin a cultural exchange with a girls’ school abroad. Managing Director of the Feminist Majority Foundation in Los Angeles Ina Coleman (Austin ’10, Kacey ’13 and Sloane Wilson ’17), will also help start the new chapter.

“The impact of economic circumstances on gender roles and identity is tremendous,” Mamagonian said.

“The persistence of discrimination and hostility is insidious if not simply blatant.”