By Débora Lima and Sofia Rossas
Lisandra’s group of action and invitees during IV Week of Women and Media
The Casperian feminist group, Frente Feminista Casperiana Lisandra, is a collective created in 2013 by a group of students of Cásper Líbero University that, after attending the I Week of Women and Media (I Semana de Mulher e Mídia) event, saw the need of creating a web of women to discuss themes within the feminine universe and ways of fighting sexism and misogyny inside and outside the academic environment.
The group talks about women empowering and feminism during weekly meetings – that happen every Thursday, 5 pm, at CAVH (3rd floor) – organized by the 12 women that compose the Group of Action. There are also self-organized meetings, where only women can attend, that take place fortnightly. Moreover, the Group of Action, also self-styled as GA, is responsible for producing the content published at the Facebook page Frente Feminista Casperiana Lisandra and for the moderation of the Facebook group, where many girls ask for other girls opinions and support. Feminist Group meeting about freshmen reception in 2014 (Photo: Lucas Franklin Martins)
“Lisandra means the one that sets it free”, says Beatriz de Paula, one of the GA members. She tells that the collective’s aim is to shelter and empower girls without imposing any kind of political bias. “Lisandra is a space of construction and a trigger for girls finding what makes sense to them. After, they may find or not find a militancy with which they identify the most”.
Beatriz says that the collective has 2 fundamental functions: plant a seed of empowering in women and tease them, so by the deconstruction, thoughts imposed by society will be less part of these girls’ world. In this way, Lisandra is increasingly present at the students’ routine, so the sexist terms and situations practiced inside and outside the academic environment won’t be accepted anymore. “The presence of Lisandra in Cásper Líbero increased the conscience that these students have voice.” – claims Beatriz de Paula.
The group is more present at Cásper Líbero. The dialogue between Lisandra and the spaces inside the academic, like the Atletics Jesse Owens, makes the sexism every time less accepted in the Casperian environment. Furthermore, Lisandra turned into a reference and is quoted by professors during classes. The organization of the Week of Women and Media also happened to be totally made by the group members.
Casperians at International Women’s Day act, at March 8th. Check some more Lisandra’s participations in acts here:
One of the main concerns of the feminist group is to break the stigma that there is only one feminist current and on role model to be adopted. Even the collective being more connected to women, men are also welcomed at the open meetings, whereas they know their place of speech. Lisandra gives opening for boys to listen the feminist questions, deconstructing and spread the importance of a equaled and less misogynic world.
Due to the fact that Cásper Líbero University is mostly composed by students who are women, according to Mariana Gonzalez, Naiara Albuquerque and Paula Calçade, all members of the GA, the “ideal” Cásper would be an university with women leading and composing more representative positions, like majors’ coordination and director’s office. Beyond that, Naiara also says that when professor consider the importance of using trigger warnings during classes when talking about stuff that may be uncomfortable for some girls. Paula asks for professors to give voice to the students and introduce the gender discussion during the classes. Overall, the girls from the GA demand comprehension and support from other academic body institutions, so less harassment would happen during college parties, freshmen reception and inside or outside classrooms.
Lisandra’s weekly meeting at Cásper Líbero University garden