The term feminism traditionally has a misunderstood connotation attached to it. Some hear feminist and automatically think anti-male and bra burning, among other stereotypes.However, the Sacramento State Women’s Studies Student Association hopes to change that mindset, as well as raise awareness about the women’s studies department at Sac State, thus raising interest in women’s studies as a whole.”We want to bring light to the fact that “feminist’ is not a bad word,” said Laura Coker, co-president of the association and senior women’s studies major. “We want to debunk that stereotype that feminists are terrible people.”Coker said she defines feminism as “women’s rights are human rights.”The club’s mission is to tackle women’s issues regarding reproduction rights, domestic violence and body image.Assistant professor of women’s studies Sujatha Moni said the club is something the department has wanted to do for some time and she made it a reality when she became a full-time faculty member this fall.”It has always been the vision of Dr. Rita Cameron Wedding and the women’s studies department to have an active student body attached to the department and involved in various activities,” Moni said. Moni said one of the first things she did as a full-time faculty member at Sac State was to find students who had shown interest in forming a club. The result has far exceeded her expectations, she said.Co-president of the WSSA and junior women’s studies major Ariana Lozano said Moni was responsible in getting the club off the ground.”Some of the other girls in the club had approached our professor asking her about women’s studies clubs and so she kind of said, “OK, you four get together and do it,'” Lozano said. The Feminist Majority Foundation is a national group based in Los Angeles that promotes women’s issues and helps groups on college campuses further its causes. Lozano said Moni helped to get the WSSA in touch with the foundation.”Their goal is to create activism within a community,” Lozano said. “They start by approaching campuses and finding who is interested in doing feminist active work on campus. Then they give the campus students the tools to go out in their community.”The group is trying to increase the number of members by hosting outreach events.”I am delighted to see these young students transform the knowledge they are gaining from their classes into organized events and activist work,” Moni said.

As part of its outreach program, the WSSA went to different classrooms on campus to gauge interest in women’s studies, as well as raise awareness of the club.Junior women’s studies major and WSSA member Leslie Dennis said she joined because there was no club or organization on campus like it.”I wanted something specific to women’s studies and women’s issues,” Dennis said. “I see these girls on a daily basis and I realize what they’re doing and I want to support and try to raise awareness. Some of these things just don’t have the recognition that it should have because they are truly problems in the community right now.”Dennis said the club is necessary to raise awareness and shed light on issues that are sometimes hidden, such as equality between the genders and sexual education.”If we don’t do it, it just feels like it’s not going to happen,” Dennis said.Dennis said education at the lower levels is a culprit in the lack of knowledge about these issues.”A lot of students coming out of high school don’t even know anything about the women’s movement,” Dennis said. “They don’t know what they stand for; they don’t know what they’re trying to do, how they’re trying to change lives. It’s still a battle. It’s not done.”

Dustin Nosler can be reached at [email protected].