Amy Lauver, Layout Editor
Coming next semester will be an opportunity to create discussions on issues often overlooked. Gender equality did not end when women received suffrage or began to work; it is an ongoing movement as stereotypes and gender roles for men and women still remain. A new club on campus will be taking the issues related to gender equality by storm. Senior, Piper Ramsey will be starting The Gender Equality Club, along with Dr. Gina Weaver as the faculty sponsor.
“I realized that there is no place for discussion about gender equality issues at SNU beyond the classroom,” Ramsey said when asked why she wanted to start this club. She has been wanting a way for SNU students to address gender issues for awhile. “There can be a social stigma in this part of the U.S. when certain words, like feminism, are used in conversation, and I would love to see that change,” Ramsey said. This club is not for students to come rant about what they think about feminism and gender roles. It will have many different roles from a sort of book club to just creating discussions.
The Gender Equality Club plans to first read the book Jesus Feminist, by Sarah Bessey. Ramsey wants the club to welcome open discussions about issues and ideas behind gender equality. She said, “My biggest hope is to bring awareness to the problems found within gender stereotypes, expectations and inequalities.” This club will be a constructive environment for students to bring their ideas, concerns or questions about gender stereotypes/roles. Ramsey plans for the club to “look for ways to bring change on campus and in our community to the way that we look at gender roles and rights.”
Ramsey’s passion for gender equality has been present in her life for some time. “I have been aware of gender inequalities since I was a kid. I never understood them,” she said, “No one seems to be willing to discuss these issues, and it’s considered taboo to discuss them. So let’s!”
The Gender Equality club will be having meetings starting next semester. All students and faculty are welcome to join as they will be reading books and having open discussions about issues around gender inequality. It will be a student led club so that other students may express themselves freely. “Everyone can join. All genders. All viewpoints. All beliefs. We want to talk.”