Judy Gorman was a lot of things before becoming a full-time musician – English teacher at New York’s Chinatown junior high, assistant in oral surgery, construction worker.

But none of them were quite right, something Gorman realized while teaching.

“I realized that while I always presumed I would teach,” she says. “I came out of the closet as a musician, admitting to myself that it was what I wanted to do, but was terrified of pursuing it.”

She started performing and took small steps towards a full-time music career. Her fright wore off and Gorman says she is never sorry about her choice.

“She is the epitome of motivation for others,” says Penny Rice, coordinator of the Sloss House. “Find your dream, and go for it.”

Touring in Europe and the United States, Gorman both performs music and works to enlighten her audiences about the contributions that women have made in the creation of music as expression throughout history.

“There is an enormous lack of information about both our past and our present,” Gorman says. “I think this is a deadly, dangerous situation.”

As a part of Women’s History Month, Gorman will be giving two presentations in the Gold Room of the Memorial Union, in addition to two performances in the Maintenance Shop Thursday.

“She wants to educate, as well as dialogue with students,” Rice says. “It can rock [your] world and lead to change – it’s important for both genders.”

Gorman’s speech is called “Finding Our Own Voice: The History of Women and Music.”

“I chose this long, awkward title [representing] all of us finding our own voice,” she says. “When a person or group of people is committed to finding an authentic voice, it is always good for the society.”

“You never know what the catalyst for exploring [new ideas] will be,” she says. “There is a whole range of experiences [that can] spark enlightenment. Once you have the information, you can’t go back [to being ignorant].”

Music has helped Gorman to attack perceptions that women, different races and lower class members are less deserving of stature, attitudes that were prevalent around her when she was growing up.

“I want to share my conviction that oppressive hierarchies are the recent five minutes of our history, and therefore do not have to be our future,” Gorman says.

“If they continue to be, there is no doubt that there will be an end to our species as well as other species.”

Gorman adds that although it is difficult for most people to change their attitudes, it is necessary, and the rewards are rich.

“Music, like culture in general, gives us powerful images of who we have been and who we are individually,” she says.

“When women are depicted, as they generally are by both male and female performers, as being some version of a stereotypical Eve or Mary, then all we get are very narrow notions of who women are.”

The “Eve” woman is often the powerful and interesting one, but predatory and evil, Gorman explains, while Mary is the generous, kind, loving, boring one.

Gorman’s influences include jazz, blues, classical, gospel and pop music – anything with honesty included.

“Music cracks open the limitations of my own world view,” Gorman says.

Gorman says she has had a great response from conservative communities.

“It convinces me there are many more people who do not accept war as the ultimate solution for dealing with conflict and serious problems,” she says.

“Music can be a metaphor for becoming ourselves. It was for me, and I think the purpose of our lives is connection and learning about ourselves.”