Graphic by Martine Ehrhart; Obtained via Pitchfork
By Jordan Jenkins
The Feminism Club, formerly known as Feminists United, currently stands as one of the growing number of clubs dedicated to issues of social justice and politics here at Apopka High School, and their main goal is a relatively simple one; change the conversation. In a time of increased activism and political discussion nationwide, the Feminism Club seeks to push for a local change that can reverberate throughout the community. As stated by senior and club Vice President, Phoebe Shea Perez, “While we are aware of how hard it can be to change our local environment, we think we have to start somewhere and we’re quite positive about how much things can improve in the next few years.”
Despite the clubs big plans, it is relatively fresh to the scene at Apopka High School, being founded only last year and having a small, core membership. Senior and current club President, Tasmia Uddin, was one of those very loyalists, saying that, “I was in [Feminism Club] last year, and it was a very small group, but it was something that I felt was really important and I wanted it to continue this year even after the leading seniors left.”
Her primary goal as president is to create a space in which important discussions could take place, she told me. “I wanted it to be a comfortable place for people…I wanted it to be an open space where people could kind of talk about issues they feel like exist and maybe ways we could deal with it. And kind of like a little community where we all feel like we have a support system with each other.”
Phoebe expressed similar sentiments, saying, “I was drawn to Feminism Club last year when it first started because I realized that a lot of conversations that we needed to have regarding gender inequality weren’t taking place at our school.”
The club is looking toward expansion and increased involvement this school year to help propel themselves and the discussion forward. They’re seeking a spot in Apopka’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade, planning discussions with related clubs like Society Speaks on issues of social justice and feminism, and is hosting a year-round drive for house needs.
When examining their progress, Tasmia says, “We haven’t done much yet, because the year has kind of just started, but we have our bulletin board set up and we have meetings twice a month – the second and fourth Monday’s of every month.”
She does recognize some of the shortcomings of the club that she saw last year, such as the lack of structure or involvement, and wishes to address them as the year goes along.
Obtained via thesabha.org
For Phoebe, growing the membership was a primary goal. “I would like to see us grow a little bit more. Currently, there are very few people in the club and so the diversity in thought is very limited.”
“We’re aiming to get rid of misconceptions about feminism. Feminism can be easily generalized as a “men-hating group”, and there’s no understanding that it is not men per se what feminists are criticizing but the dangerous masculinity archetype that is so prevalent in our culture”, she said when asked about an impact that she would like for the Feminism Club to have on the school at large.
“Sometimes people who attack feminism don’t even know that this movement advocates breaking down not only gender roles that affect women but also the ones that shame men for being too sensitive or for being interested in fashion or cooking.We hope to make our school a place more open to having discussions that tend to be uncomfortable.”