Second annual Yes! I'm a Feminist

Listen, folks, the Women's and Gender Studies Community Advisory Board knows how to put on a great party.  And a great political party!  I mean political not in the "elected official" sense, but political in the "let's have a look at the ways power is distributed and make sure that things are as fair as they can be."

Feminism!

You all know that my standard definition of feminism is a movement to eradicate all forms of oppression that keep people from achieving their full humanity.  That's an excellent definition.  You're welcome to steal it.

Margaret Pilarski, who's the chair of the WGS Community Advisory Board and one of the people making this event happen, says this about feminism:

Whether your understanding of feminism is about girl power, women’s suffrage, second wave rallies, or recruiting more women to run for political office—you’re right, it’s all that and more. Equality is necessary and empowering for all genders and the hosts of our party are receptive to that. We’re thrilled to have this show of support and be welcomed and celebrated by the community at large.

Right on, Margaret.

And let me go back to one of the important parts of this post: it's such a good party!  We have 175 hosts, folks from all walks of life who are donating $100.  We also have sponsors--organizations that are offering bigger funds to support WGS, organizations like the New Morning Foundation, Women 2020, the Alliance for Full Acceptance, and skirt! magazine.  It's a significant fundraising event for WGS.

Last year's Yes! I'm a Feminist allowed us to do things like:

• We gave research grants to six WGS faculty affiliates. They did things like traveling to the village of Wowetta, located in the North Rupununi of Guyana for 4 weeks to examine the women's economic development projects; interviewing women in Ireland to learn about their participation in peace and reconciliation efforts there; and presenting their research results at a number of conferences. Yes! I'm a Feminist has allowed us to offer the first WGS research funding in the history of the College of Charleston. 
• Students have received research grants as well, presenting their individual research at regional WGS conferences - a major accomplishment for undergrad students. 
• We've sponsored speakers and events on campus, like the fifty-year anniversary of The Feminine Mystique and the incredibly popular campus presentation by television star and transgender activist Laverne Cox. 
• And we offer students the funding to plan their own events, like the informal weekly "Food with Feminists" that allows students to gather, eat together, and form a supportive community.

Come be a feminist with us!  February 25, 5:30-7:30, in the atrium and garden of the (beautiful) New Science Center on the CofC campus (corner of Calhoun and Coming).  Free and open to the public!  Bring your friends!  Enjoy excellent food, drinks and music.

And if you want to read some other relevant posts I've written, here you go:

• Books that changed my world
• Sarah Josepha Hale and Thanksgiving (don't you want to learn about the woman who made Thanksgiving a national holiday? Really!)
• Victim blaming.  It keeps happening, and it's UNACCEPTABLE!
• In case you haven't seen it, the video of me at inGenius