1) Hi guys! Anti-Sexism Society is one of the most respected societies on campus – how can people get involved?
There are loads of ways to get involved! We run a range of different events so that, whether you’re into reading, clubbing, discussing or watching movies, there’s something you’ll enjoy. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been before – we welcome people of every gender, year, or experience with activism. We’re happy to explain any words or phrases we use and welcome new members at any time of the year. It’s never too late. Check out our Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/warwickantisexism/ – or, better yet, become a member to get all our emails with details of upcoming events. You can do that here: https://www.warwicksu.com/societies/7856/#org-join for only £3.
2) Speaking very generally, what are the main aims and agenda of Anti-Sexism Society? We believe that people of all genders have the right to feel safe and to live their lives without discrimination. We’re particularly interested in amplifying the voices of those who have historically been marginalised by feminist and anti-sexist movements, such as women of colour, trans women, etc. So ultimately, we’re seeking liberation from patriarchy and other systems of oppression – but since that’s sadly not likely to happen anytime soon, for now we run campaigns to give Warwick students the confidence that this is our campus, we have the right to be here, and we have the right to feel safe here. For example, in week 8 we’re running our own clubnight, Can’t Touch This.
3) Tell us about Can’t Touch This!
Can’t Touch This has been going for a few years now and it’s always really popular! It’s completely organised by us and it’s basically our way of taking control of clubbing. Going out can be really stressful when you constantly have to worry about harassment, body shaming and homophobia – so our aim is to create a better night out. Obviously we can never completely remove these problems, but by providing gender neutral toilets and safe sex supplies and making it known that harassment isn’t tolerated, we can make a big difference. We then donate profits from the night to local charities such as Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) and Coventry Haven.
We’ll be doing a lot of big campaigns on the theme of safety this year, such as our Reclaim the Night march in term 2, so look out for them!
4) What kind of social events does Anti-Sexism Society host?
We do something for everyone. Every fortnight, we pick a poem or short extract to discuss over cake and coffee. For those who are more into clubbing – like a certain WASS co-president with a Pop! Season pass – we did a Pop! circle with Pride in Week 7 to celebrate Pride Week, and of course we’re planning Can’t Touch This in Week 8. So there are plenty of chances to get to know other WASS members and to chat about hugely important current events with like-minded people.
5) How does Anti-Sexism Society connect with the rest of campus life?
We do a lot of events with other liberation societies, such as the Sexism and Disability talk we’re planning to do with Warwick Enable in week 9. This is really important to us because we want to make sure our approach to fighting sexism is genuinely intersectional; in other words, that we’re not just focusing on the most elite rich, white, cisgender women. We try to be quite visible everywhere on campus so that we can start the crucial conversation on sexism and how to fight it.
6) Why should people join Anti-Sexism Society?
The more people who join, the stronger the fight against sexism will be. So, no matter who you are, be part of our movement and help to make our university a better place for people of all genders to thrive. If we’ve convinced you, join here: https://www.warwicksu.com/societies/7856/#org-join and come to our next few events. We can’t wait to meet you!