ANNIE HARTMAN– Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably seen the “We Need Feminism Because…” posters plastered all over campus. These signs are followed by different statements that represent why equality is essential on Denison’s campus. The Denison Feminists are responsible for this poster campaign with the goal of promoting awareness and preventing misinterpretation about the term “feminism.”
This semester, the club is excited about new activities to promote activism and engage in discussions regarding gender issues and rights on our campus. For example, this semester they will be hosting another menstrual drive to donate to an organization that serves women in need.
Last semester, the Denison Feminists promoted other organizations events surrounding women’s health rights as well as hosting their own. Sigma Lambda Gamma hosted a Women’s Health Panel that Denison Feminists attended, helping curious students answer questions ranging from the best protection for sex to handling healthy relationships.
By supporting these events, the club promotes different gender related issues and spreads the word throughout campus to ensure a positive impact.
The club tries to promote strong relationships between women and embrace the role of a powerful woman. The Denison Feminists work have donated to Amethyst, an organization that supports women dependent on substances who are trying to become sober.
Anyone can find the dedication behind the group by talking with the president, Makynzie Horvath ‘18, a double major in anthropology/sociology and women and gender studies. She is always eager to share more about the club’s growth and mission. She has been apart of this club since her first semester freshman year and is very passionate about the clubs purpose.
After being a member for four years, Horvath has had the opportunity to watch the club expand and take on new challenges and ideas. She states that this is an important club for activism because, “feminism is the gateway to understanding a broad range of social issues.”
This is shown in their constant involvement and support for other fantastic groups on campus like SHARE (Sexual Harassment and Rape Education) and DASH (Denison Advocates for Sexual Health).
The club is looking to partner up with other activist oriented organizations to further expand the club.
The club’s secretary, Ellie Broker ‘20, a data analytics major with a political science minor, said “I’m really looking forward to the future of this club this semester because we have tons of events and collaborations we have never had before. It is going to be exciting to have a full schedule of events to keep us busy this semester that everyone has worked extremely hard on.”
She encourages anyone who is seeking a new activity or club to join because Denison Feminists, she said, is a very welcoming and fun group of people to be around.
If you’re interested in joining this club contact [email protected] for more information. This activist organization meets weekly in Knapp 104 at 6 p.m., but hosts several fun events all semester.