“At the end of the day, we’re all sisters,” said Kali McKenzie, current president of GCC’s Feminist Society Club, in an interview. And the family line goes far back. The Feminist Society has had an impact on campus for almost a decade, turning 10 years old next fall.
The Feminist Society is an intersectional feminist club that raises women’s voices. They teach lectures about women’s issues such as domestic violence and health as well as uplift women. Each president has put their own spin on the club, focusing on the needs of the time, but they still agree that whatever they’re doing to help, encouraging women is at the center.
“I’m stepping into a legacy,” said McKenzie. She noted how important every past leader’s contribution was, but also comments on the now. “I want to honor what’s already been done, but as an academic I also want to add my own voice to it.”
She said she wants to bring the society in a new direction and draw people inward towards their image and health. “How feminism has impacted me most is it’s helped uplift my self-esteem, so I feel like that’s the direction I want to take the girls into this next year.”
Alena Kunjumon, former president of 2023, talked about the basis of intersectionality of the club in an interview. “I’ve always been interested in the issues of how do different marginalized groups and communities come together to tackle on social issues and I noticed a lot of different issues being talked about in the summer of 2020.”
During that time, the talk of issues and politics were at its height naturally leading to conversations about how they all relate to one another. “When I came into feminist society, my goal was to maybe start a place on campus where we could connect all these various communities together.”
Intersectionality in McKenzie’s words is “No woman left behind.” It brings everyone together and how their issues intersect and overlap. It is the foundation of what the society stands on, to bring everyone together.
Professor Elizabeth Kronbeck, a faculty club member, talked about what the club was years ago.
She first started seeing the society between 2017 and 2018. “The first thing I noticed is that they centered their meetings around having lectures about issues.”
She was surprised that marginalized issues were being informed about and taught. “Whoever started it back in those early, early years, like this is a learning space and we’re going to teach the people who are here about some type of topic.” The society still holds this tradition, showcasing lectures and informing women on health and other topics.
The role of the society has been long-standing and looks like it will continue for years to come. The club’s mission is clear: “As bell hooks said, ‘Feminism is for everyone.’ We invite everyone who believes in equality and equity to join us.”
GCC Feminist Society meets on Thursdays from 12:30 to 1:30 in “The Exchange” or Multicultural and Community Engagement Center
Janesa Brosnan can be reached at [email protected].