By Lian Bunny
Photo Editor
Gender Equality Club– it’s a working title.
Juliette Bauer, a sophomore women’s studies major, said she wants to rebrand the old gender issues-based club Voices. The group aimed to raise awareness about sexual violence, reproductive health, portrayals of sexuality and sexism in general.
According to Bauer, Voices disintegrated sometime last semester after upperclassmen leadership graduated. She decided to revive it. By technically adding to the club Voices, Bauer’s group receives its budget.
Bauer hosted an interest meeting on Tuesday, April 5, in The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts Loft. Thirteen female students came.
Although all the attendees were female, Bauer said she would love to have other genders join the group as well.
“I’m thinking of the effect (gender issues) has on men too,” she said. “So, personally, coming from the way I understand this movement, men are included.”
Attendee Amanda Brogan, a sophomore history major, agreed and said she hopes more people join the club.
“I think other students should join, because gender equality and inequality affects everyone whether they realize it or not,” Brogan said. “It’s a good opportunity to find out what areas of our lives gender equality and inequality affect.”
Bauer added if men do join, she wants to help them understand some people who do not want men to be included in the gender equality movement in general.
“I know it took me a long time to come to the place where men should be included, so I understand the frustration with men and how our society is set up,” she said.
Bauer also said she would love for the club to do some outreach to the Bonaventure community, actively going out and talking about gender equality issues. Future plans also include interacting with other clubs on campus, according to Bauer, since gender equality intersects with a lot of different topics such as #RaceMatters.
At the interest meeting, attendees expressed an interest in planning an event in honor of April, sexual assault awareness month.
Brogan said she would specifically like to talk about women in sports.
“I would like to focus on the sports culture on our campus and how the men’s basketball team is more talked up than the women’s team,” Brogan said. “People may not realize the difference in media attention, but there is one. There was more uproar on campus about the fact that the men didn’t make the NCAA tournament, while the women’s team made and advanced a couple of games.”
Bauer said she wants everybody to feel welcome. Bauer wants the group to be able to openly talk about gender equality issues and hang out together, she said.
“A very kumbaya kind of feel.”
The club’s first task: to decide on an official name.
