Students at RWU are given the opportunity to establish new clubs if there is not one already that meets the needs of the student body. A fairly recent club on campus is FEM Society, became an official club in 2018. FEM Society is targeted toward cisgender and transgender women, but welcomes everyone.

 

A big misconception about the club is that only women can join. The club thinks it’s important to have people of all genders included in the discussion.

 

“Trans people are still being discriminated against. It is so important that feminists and cis women be allies and hear their ideas and changes to the movement,” President of FEM Society senior Lucy Lawlor said.

 

FEM Society is an intersectional feminist club.

“Intersectional feminism is a broad concept that discusses feminism through intersections of race, gender and class,” Lawlor said.

 

Lawlor discusses how the phrase, “I am a woman but I am not a feminist,” is counterintuitive to being a successful woman. Currently, there are 12 active members, but the club is always looking for new members and new opinions. Their meetings are held on Mondays at 5 p.m. in the QTRAC, located by Maple 9, 10 and 11.

 

“A normal meeting consists of us talking about current events and even just talking about things that happen to us every day, that enforce the reasons why we are proud to call ourselves feminists,” Lawlor said.

 

Gabby Porcaro serves as the advisor to FEM Society and has been patient and supportive through the organization and changes that come with starting a new club.

Another woman that Lawlor gives credit to for being impactful on the club is founding President Phoebe Thaler, a graduate of the class of 2019. According to Lawlor, Thaler helped find the niche for FEM Society and also brought the public conversation of feminism to the RWU campus.

FEM Society has two big events coming up this month. On Oct. 14, the club will be screening “Dolores” in GHH 01 at 7 p.m. to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. They will also be holding an empanada fundraiser at the end of October.