By: Claire Fisher, Features Assignment Editor
Photo Courtesy: Elizabeth Egan, The BonaVenture
Making St. Bonaventure University feel like a place where everyone is welcome and all opinions are valued is what Cassidy Bertino, a sophomore psychology major, hopes to accomplish through SBU for Equality.
The club has arisen as a key facilitator in the St. Bonaventure University, campus-wide, discussion on gender-based issues. By allowing a safe space for discussion on topics such as menstrual health, gender roles and sexual violence, the club allows for all on campus to share their thoughts and feelings on this subject.
“We want everyone to know [SBU for Equality] is a safe environment,” Bertino said. “We hope to empower women and advocate for injustices surrounding us.”
SBU for Equality’s leadership team called it impossible to fight sexism as a secluded issue.
The club’s mission statement reads as follows: “Conscious of principles of intersectionality, SBU for Equality also addresses how gender interacts with other social identities, such as race, ethnicity and sexuality.”
Over the past few years, the club has been focused on creating an education and engaging event list and increasing its recruitment.
For more full-campus involvement, the club has previously hosted board game or friendship bracelet making events and trivia nights. Upcoming, the club has an Easter egg hunt scheduled for April 2.
The club works not only on its internal comradery and bonding, but also on acting as an external welcoming environment to study-body members who may be interested in joining.
“It’s always fun having new members come in every year,” Bertino said.
Additionally, SBU for Equality varies its meeting style and topic, usually ranging from sort of discussion or group activity.
“Past topics include women in film, intersectionality and gender discrimination in the workplace,” junior member Anna Holohan said.
Part of this event collaboration relies on teamwork with other campus and off-campus groups with similar missions. This has included the Damietta Center, the Equity Institute and the League of Women Voters of Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties. The group hopes to expand their network even further to create more activities and events.
As the group continues to grow, the club hopes to host events such as a menstrual-hygiene drive, a women’s history game night and bonding events such as a book club. The leadership team noted it was important the topics reflect the global gender concerns of club members.
The club continues to meet on most Tuesdays in Swan 203 at 5:30 p.m.
