(Courtesy of Sydney Flanagan)
AMBER MATTICE
Life & Arts Editor
Groups on campus are constantly changing and evolving alongside the changing values and messages associated with them. Fredonia Feminists, formerly known as Women’s Student Union, has done exactly this by changing their name to reflect the values of its members.
This Q&A with women’s and gender studies and business administration major and Fredonia Feminists president Sydney Flanagan delves into the name change and the what they stand for, especially in relation to the recent political state.
Q: Why was the group’s name changed from Women’s Student Union to Fredonia Feminists?
A: The name was outdated and didn’t reflect the core values and mission of our group as well as it could have. It was somewhat misleading; we aren’t a women’s group, we are an intersectional feminist activist group. We believe that feminism is for everyone, not just women. Intersectional feminism advocates for all marginalized people, not just women, something that the name WSU didn’t reflect as much as we wanted it to.
Q: How has the group changed as a whole since the name change?
A: Attendance is definitely up, which makes me really happy. I think a lot of people feel more welcome now that our purpose/mission is clearer, especially people who aren’t women. We’ve been trying to revitalize the group with fresh ideas and aesthetics, and people seem to be really receptive to it. I also think our boosted attendance has a lot to do with the current political and social climate, people are starting to realize the relevancy of the issues we’ve always discussed, and they want to learn more.
Q: What are the group’s feeling about the current political state with Trump’s new administration and executive orders?
A: Exactly what you’d assume they’d be, I’m sure. Everything our group does stems from scholarly feminist theory and it’s really interesting to watch it all come to life and see more people than ever support the cause. That being said, it’s pretty scary to watch. Recognizing the way the administration is affecting all types of people is helping us band together, but it’s also really unsettling.
Q: What’s important to remember during such a tense time?
A: The power people have. Thousands of snowflakes make a blizzard, and people need to remember that activism has shaped this country since its beginning. Your voice matters, and it’s crucial that you express your opinions in any way you can. When you feel helpless, take action. Call your representatives every single day, go to protests, sign petitions, teach others, express dissent. If you don’t stop speaking up, people will be forced to listen to you, no matter how annoyed they may be with your efforts. Also know that you have a community, that your identities should be cherished and celebrated and you have people on your side.
Q: In terms of the Women’s March on Washington, what do you think was the most inspirational thing about it?
A: Despite some of the problems I have personally with the exclusionary parts of the march, I have to admit that it was pretty impressive. Mainstream feminism is bound to show up in a march this size, and I could discuss my critiques at length, but the global and individual impacts of the march are awesome to see.
People that haven’t been very involved in social justice in the past were involved, and it’s inspiring to see women and other marginalized people coming together to make a stand. I love people that refuse to be silent, and I respected the efforts of the people there who truly want to make a difference for those in our society who don’t have as much of a voice.
Q: What can we expect to see from Fredonia Feminists this semester?
A: Our Herstory Month is in March and will be jam-packed with events. We’ll be releasing the official poster and dates soon, but some of the events in the works are:
- A “Period Party” to raise awareness of the problem of menstruation in the homeless population and fight stigma surrounding periods. This event will be inclusive of all people who have periods, and we will be collecting period products for Compass House, a shelter in Buffalo. There will also be music, crafts, games, and food!
- A trauma-sensitive sex ed workshop for people who have experienced sexual violence and others who are ignored by traditional sex ed
- An art workshop with social media artist Lora Mathis, who will be discussing their concept of “radical softness as a weapon”
- Herstory trivia with a TON of awesome feminist prizes
- A screening of Marie Antoinette
- And several others that will be announced as Herstory month approaches.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly used the pronoun “her” in reference to social media artist Lora Mathis.