The UBC Feminist Club is an exciting new addition to UBC this year. The club aims to create a positive platform that will spur healthy conversations about issues surrounding intersectionality in relation to race, gender, class, and sexuality.
However, the UBC Feminist Club did face some set backs as it was initially not recognized as an official AMS club. With perseverance, dedication and support from the campus community, the AMS made the decision to sponsor the club in mid-September.
HCUBC caught up with the club’s VP External, Margareta, to find out more about the club and what its members are doing to create change on campus.
HC: Who came up with the idea for the club?
Margareta: Cheneil Antony-Hale, our president, organized the ‘I Am A Feminist Day’ campaign last year, and noticed an overwhelmingly positive response from the community. She realized that a space for feminists on campus was necessary, both for solidarity and educational outreach.
HC: What are the beliefs and values of the club and how do you hope to make a positive change on campus?
Margareta: Our ideological basis is in intersectionality, meaning that we recognize and operate within a framework that seeks to eliminate all intersections of inequality in our society, whether that’s race, class, sexuality, or gender. We know that there are many social justice topics that matter, and our chosen approach is serving as an educational space so that the broader community can further understand how gender roles can disadvantage and discriminate.
HC: The club went through some difficulties with the AMS to even be recognized as an official UBC Campus club. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience?
Margareta: We’ve since reconciled any concerns that had arisen due to miscommunication, and out current relationship with the AMS is a positive one. They have been helpful in our currents activities and we regret that misunderstanding beset our initial experience.
HC: Last year, a lot of negative aspects of UBC surfaced (i.e. rape chants and the series of sexual assaults on campus). In light of these events how will the Feminist Club work to reach out the broader campus community about issues such as these?
Margareta: The first step is acknowledging the problem, which we think UBC and the AMS have done appropriately. Moving forward we want to see a second step of addressing social factors that encourage sexual violence, a rape culture, and stereotyping about Aboriginal people. Our role, we feel, is to support communities affected by these discriminatory factors to whatever extent possible, and educating the public on issues of privilege, cultural appropriation, victim blaming, and gender stereotyping.
HC: What are the plans for the Feminist Club this year?
Margareta: We are enthusiastic about our upcoming pub night. Details on the public seminars, trivia nights, and documentary screenings (Half the Sky is next) to be offered can be found on our Facebook page, Feminist Club – UBC Campus. Also be sure to check us out on Twitter.
HC: How can people be involved with the club?
Margareta: Easy! Come to one of our meetings which happen every other week on Wednesday at 6pm. The venue changes occasionally, so again our page is a good sign of where it will be any given week