For the past four years, one of the most popular midwinter events on campus has been Yes! I’m a Feminist – an annual gathering organized and hosted by the College’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program (WGS). This event celebrates the achievement of students in the program while also serving as the principal fundraiser for WGS. This year, Yes! I’m a Feminist will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. in the College’s Cistern Yard. The event is free and open to the public.
The College’s Cistern Yard comes alive when Yes! I’m a Feminist happens each year.
Yes! I’m a Feminist was initiated by former WGS director Alison Piepmeier in conjunction with the WGS Community Advisory Board as a means of bringing together students, faculty and the Charleston community. It will feature poster presentations by select students from WGS as well as refreshments and live music by alumnus Leah Suarez’s ‘03 band, De la Luz.
Funds raised by way of Yes! I’m a Feminist are used to support student research, student educational travel and visiting faculty. This year, for instance, 12 students in the program will travel to Winthrop University to present their research at the Southeastern Women’s Studies Association annual conference. Their registration fees, travel and accommodation expenses are being covered by WGS funds. In addition, another student will be traveling to Florence, Italy to conduct research on women’s public health.
Yes! I’m a Feminist founder Alison Piepmeier is flanked by advisory board members Margaret Pilarski (left) and Amanda Bunting Comen (right).
And the event is important in other ways as well. According to local business owner Amanda Bunting Comen, who chairs the WGS Community Advisory Board, Yes! I’m a Feminist is vital for the community:
“During the evening, hundreds of individuals get together with other like-minded women and men to support feminism and raise awareness about the WGS program at the College. They talk about vital issues such as the gender wage gap, domestic violence and the fact that we have very few women running for political office in our state. If we can get a few more people talking about these issues and get more students involved in the program, those students will have a good chance to garner the leadership skills and knowledge necessary for making a difference in the Charleston community and the world. That’s what excites me about the scope and reach this event can have.”
To help make Yes! I’m a Feminist a success, Bunting Comen, WGS director Cara Delay and their fellow organizers have secured sponsorship from Tell Them, a statewide nonprofit organization engaged in advocacy and awareness regarding women’s reproductive health. Other sponsors include Sugar Bakeshop and Charleston City Paper. For more information, check out Yes! I’m a Feminist and the WGS program online.
