UP20_08

UNIVERSITY PRESS VOL.20 | #7 | 3.20.2019

THE

WOMEN’S ISSUE FIRST ISSUE IS FREE; EACH ADDITIONAL COPY IS 50 CENTS AND AVAILABLE IN THE UP NEWSROOM

TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER

The Owls Care staff tosses up condoms. You can pick condoms up in their office on the second floor of the Breezeway. Photo by Melanie Wintherup

VOL.20 | #7 | 3.20.2019

UPRESSONLINE.COM FACEBOOK.COM/UNIVERSITYPRESS @UPRESSONLINE PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

-Generation Action President Alex Bruens holds one of the many Planned Parenthood promo items.

Photo by Alex Liscio -Flip the Script gets serious. Photo by Melanie Witherup

Editor’s Letter 4

YOU GO, GIRL During Women’s History Month, learn about the women at FAU who have created student organizations and represented you in Student Government.

By Sophie Siegel

News 6

MORE THAN JUST CONDOMS Owls Care, with a primarily female staff, provides sexual health testing and education for free to all FAU students.

By Cameren Boatner

Features 8

MEDICINE ISN’T JUST FOR MEN FAU’s American Medical Women’s Association is dedicated to raising women’s interest in medicine.

By Kristen Grau

10

WOMEN ARE A MINORITY IN MANY STUDENT GOVERNMENT POSITIONS There are plenty of women in Student Government, but not many are in top leadership roles.

By Ross Mellman

14

EQUAL REPRESENTATION NOW FAU’s National Organization for Women raises awareness of gender inequality and discrimination.

By Caroline Bell

16

TAKING ACTION Generation Action, the Planned Parenthood organization on campus, is trying to reduce the stigma around abortion.

By Cameren Boatner

20

THE FOUNDING WOMEN OF LAMBDA ALPHA LAMBDA Women in the LGBTQ community have created FAU’s first gender-inclusive Greek organization.

By Israel Fontoura

20

STUDYING GENDER AND SEXUALITY ISN’T JUST KILLING TIME Students and faculty in the program at FAU say that they use the knowledge to get a job, understand their life experiences, and look at the world through different perspectives.

By Hope Dean

2 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

Opinion 22

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AREN’T TAKEN SERIOUSLY Women in leadership are exhausted–but don’t underestimate us.

By Sophie Siegel

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

-The FAU National Organization of Women at a D.C. feminist conference. Photo courtesy of FAU NOW. -The Women’s Studies office is located in the Arts and Humanities building on the first floor. Photo by Hope Dean -The Lambda Alpha Lambda diaternity is the first of its kind at FAU. Photo by Alexander Rodriguez

UP STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Sophie

Siegel

MANAGING EDITOR Ross

Mellman

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Melanie NEWS EDITOR Hope

Witherup

Dean

FEATURES EDITOR Kristen

Grau

STUDENT GOVERNMENT EDITOR Israel

Fontoura SPORTS EDITOR Wajih PHOTO EDITOR Alex

WANT TO JOIN THE UP? Email: universitypress@gmail.com Staff meetings every Friday at 2 p.m.

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PUBLISHER FAU Student Government The opinions expressed by the UP are not necessarily those of the student body, Student Government or FAU. ADDRESS 777 Glades Road Student Union, Room 214 Boca Raton, FL 33431 561.297.2960

AlBaroudi

Liscio

BUSINESS MANAGER Kerri

Covington

STAFF WRITER Cameren

Boatner

CONTRIBUTORS C aroline

Bell Alexander Rodriguez Kevin Sjogreen Christopher Bartley Asuka Takahashi

ADVISERS N eil

Santaniello Ilene Prusher Michael Koretzky 3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3

EDITOR’S LETTER

YOU GO, GIRL

During Women’s History Month, learn about the women at FAU who have created student organizations and represented you in student government.

SOPHIE SIEGEL | EDITOR IN CHIEF

F

ROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS, Bikini Kill, Kathleen Hanna sings, “Rebel girl, you are the queen of my world!” This feminist anthem has inspired me and is how I feel about all of the women leaders at FAU. Apart from finishing up my last semester of earning my certificate in women, gender and sexuality studies, I have identified as a feminist since I was young. What it means to be a feminist to me is making sure all women are fairly represented and treated with the same respect as men.

I have met all kinds of incredible women on this campus, which I am excited for you to see in this special issue. Supporting all women who have started organizations and served in Student Government is incredibly important to me as a feminist and someone who grew up around strong women.

In this issue, our staff writer, Cameren Boatner, interviewed Owls Care, a staff with a majority of women. Owls Care was recently named an “Outstanding Peer Education Group” by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). I reflected on women in leadership and how gender bias has impacted them.

I mentioned activism as a driving force of why I wanted to have an issue dedicated to women. I also have the experience of following in the footsteps of some incredible UP staffers and advisers.

One of our advisers, Ilene Prusher, told me, “I hope young women will feel empowered to keep chipping away at that glass ceiling until it’s truly a thing of the past.”

Prusher is a professional journalist, journalism professor, and a former foreign correspondent.

“There was one time when I was at a United Nations press conference in Afghanistan after 9/11. I looked

4 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

SOPHIE SIEGEL, EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, PHOTO BY MELANIE WITHERUP

around and suddenly realized that nearly half of the reporters in the room were women,” Prusher said. “This wasn’t the White House press corps, after all, but one of the most dangerous foreign assignments of the day.”

Other University Press staffers, such as former Editor-in-Chief, Emily Bloch, have broken major stories as women. She wrote a story about a gang rape at a fraternity party during her time at FAU and said a police officer told her, “look, little girl ... stay in your lane.” Former Editor in Chief, Kerri Covington said the women at the UP before her inspired her. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from running the UP, it’s this: Women need to increasingly step into leadership roles as it encourages other women to do the same, even if they think they’re not ready,” Covington said.

Bloch, Covington, and Prusher aren’t the only women

who have made incredible strides. In our story about the women’s studies program, News Editor Hope Dean spoke to the department about what you can do with a women’s studies degree. Spoiler: It’s more than you think.

Women are also progressing in the medical world, as stated by Features Editor Kristen Grau. In other parts of campus such as Student Government, Managing Editor Ross Mellman, dives into how women are not in many leadership roles.

During Women’s History Month, we should learn not just about white women, but all women changing the world we live in. We should honor disabled women, Muslim women, Jewish women, black women, Hispanic women, trans women, and more.

Women’s History Month is about realizing how important women are and celebrating all of their accomplishments.

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NEWS

MORE THAN JUST

CONDOMS

CAMEREN BOATNER | STAFF WRITER 6 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

PHOTO SERIES BY MELANIE WITHERUP

Owls Care, with a primarily female staff, provides sexual health testing and education for free to all FAU students.

Y

OU MAY KNOW OWLS CARE LEADERS for giving out brown bags of free condoms or presenting in the Breezeway on your way to

class.

Through these presentations and leading workshops, they teach students to care for their mental health and debunk some common myths along the way.

As of January, Owls Care was named an “Outstanding Peer Education Group” by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Owls Care is a resource on campus dedicated to teaching students about wellness, mental health, and suicide prevention.

Owls Care leaders teach FAU students that wellness is more than “eating right, exercising and being skinny,” said Tessa Moody, an Owls Care leader. She said it’s also about knowing your body and learning how to care for yourself.

NASPA awarded Owls Care for their education on mental health, drugs, and alcohol awareness.

MEET THE WOMEN Moody is a self-proclaimed “fat Owls Care leader,” advocating not only for her own body, but for other fat people on campus. Moody tries to teach students that weight is not an indicator of health, among other topics that Owls Care presents.

During a typical jam-packed 50-minute presentation, the staff presents topics such as sexual assault, mental health, and wellness on the Breezeway, Diversity Way, and other parts of campus.

“I tend to be really worried about all the people we’re communicating with, but I know for each of us, at least one of the topics we talk about is extremely personal. It’s almost as if we’re advocating for ourselves or someone close to us when we’re talking about these things, but to everyone else, it’s just a concept they don’t understand,” Moody said.

But Moody says it’s worth it to see the students learn things about themselves and other people they may not have previously known — and Natasha Murray, an exercise science major and Owls Care leader, agrees.

“At the end of the day, people are enlightened at the conversation we’re having. They have a real genuine moment of actually being interested in what we’re saying, and soaking up the information,” said Murray.

“And they remember you the next week, so that’s really rewarding.”

Murray joined initially because she wanted to make friends, but soon found a community of like-minded women and learned about her own self-care, as well.

Other leaders joined to push themselves out of their comfort zones.

Kaylalea Mendez had public speaking anxiety in a

major based around public speaking — communications.

She joined Owls Care to force herself to present, but ended up exposing herself to much more, she said.

For Savannah Cuddy, her job has come full circle. She found Owls Care on the Breezeway when some previous leaders were hiring positions. They spoke about mental health, and she signed up on the spot. Now, she’s recruiting students to be future Owls Care leaders.

AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH Owls Care presents wellness to students in a different way than your normal doctor’s office. It’s a personalized approach, Moody said, based not only on exercising and eating healthy, but also your socioeconomic background, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and more.

Gender-specific risk factors in mental disorders affect more women than they do men, according to the World Health Organization. Some of these risk factors include “gender-based violence, socioeconomic disadvantage, low income, and income inequality, low or subordinate social status.”

“In our culture, women or fem-presenting people are really discouraged from knowing about their bodies, and that would help them advocate for themselves in their personal relationships, workplace, at the doctor’s office,” Moody said. “We encourage you to utilize our resources and use them to learn how to advocate for yourself. You shouldn’t be afraid to request respect and care.”

MEET THE CREW

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

GABI TABIB (SHE/HER/HERS)

BRYANNA SHAW (SHE/HER/HERS)

KELSEY GOLDEN (SHE/HER/HERS) 3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 7

NEWS FLIP THE SCRIPT

This rape prevention curriculum is the first of its kind in the U.S. Flip the Script, a sexual assault prevention program at FAU under Owls Care, is teaching women how to defend themselves physically and verbally, and dispelling rape myths and stigmas.

The prevention-based curriculum lessened the risk of sexual assault by almost 50 percent according to one study conducted on university women by the New England Journal of Medicine.

They teach four core beliefs to the women in the course: Rape is never the victim’s fault.

Strangers usually aren’t responsible — it’s people you know.

College women are most at risk for sexual assault.

Women can recognize manipulative behavior by identifying their goals with their partner.

Gabriella Tabib, a graduate student and facilitator at Flip the Script, said, “victims, or survivors of sexual assault, a lot of the time are blamed for something that was done to them, and by the end of the class, what we see is lower instances of victim blaming, which is the goal … We want these women to feel that sexual assault is never their fault.”

The four three-hour classes throughout every semester are free to FAU students, and you can sign up on their website at fau.edu/owlscare/ flipthescript. But be sure to register early — the classes fill up quickly.

8 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

MORE THAN JUST CONDOMS? Owls Care has tons of resources beyond giving out free condoms, and it’s paid for in your tuition. What are they, and how can you use them?

“We’ve got free condoms, we’ve got dental dams, free lube. Any type of sex a person can have, we’ve got stuff to protect you,” Moody said.

But Owls Care offers a lot more, and it’s covered by your tuition.

What else they offer: -Registered dietician -HIV testing (free on Tuesdays) -Free individual health and wellness consultations -They also give away free FAU currency, or “Hoot Loot,” if you come to their booths on the Breezeway to have a conversation. Their catchphrase is, “If you learn something, you earn something.”

You can then use the Hoot Loot to buy FAU merch, as well as everyday household products, at the bookstore or other places.

The Women and Gender Equity Resource Center (WGERC) is another resource for women on campus. They offer workshops on women and gender and other amenities like these: -Gender-themed library -Menstrual products -Heating pads -Lactation room (Inside the Women and Gender Center) -Pregnancy tests

Where you can find them: You can find Owls Care online at fau.edu/ owlscare, and they’re located on the second floor of the Breezeway on the Boca campus at the Student Services Building, room 222.

On the Jupiter campus, they’re located at the Student Resource Building, room 112.

And at the Broward campus, they’re located at the Davie Student Union, room 206.

THE LADIES PICTURED CLOCKWISE: TESSA MOODY (SHE/HER/HERS) KAYLALEA MENDEZ (SHE/HER/HERS) SAVANNAH CUDDY (SHE/HER/HERS) TIFFANY SETO (SHE/HER/HERS) VALENCIA BRISEUS (THEY/THEM/THEIRS) SAM PINO (SHE/HER/HERS) NATASHA MURRAY (SHE/HER/HERS)

3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 9

FEATURES

MEDICINE ISN’T JUST FOR MEN

THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAPTER OF AMERICAN MEDICAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCY OBERSTREET.

FAU’s American Medical Women’s Association is dedicated to raising women’s interest in medicine.

KRISTEN GRAU | FEATURES EDITOR

M

ARCY OBERSTREET is a biological sciences major, an aspiring doctor, and a mother.

She knows that having a family and practicing medicine could come with stigma and discrimination.

Regardless, she wants more women to pursue a career in medicine. That’s why she founded an undergraduate American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) chapter at FAU.

10 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

“We need to change what it means to be a female in a male-dominated profession,” Oberstreet said.

AMWA has two chapters at FAU — undergraduate and graduate — that provide opportunities and experiences for women shooting for medical school.

Some opportunities include shadowing, mentoring, and volunteering. There are about 364 members in both chapters combined, according to Owl Central.

The president of AMWA’s graduate chapter, Namrata

Gadela, regularly hosts local female physicians at her meetings to hear about their professional journeys and experiences.

“People [in the club] are seeing that there are opportunities available if you work,” Gadela said.

OPPORTUNITIES IN AMWA Oberstreet said she wants to give female undergraduate

medical students more guidance and opportunities.

That’s why she’s soon launching a shadowing program for her chapter, where members can hurry across hospital floors and learn what being in medicine is really like.

Besides offering the bedside experience, Oberstreet also wants to equip future doctors with contacts they can rely on after graduation through the chapter’s mentoring program, which is in the works.

Gadela’s graduate chapter is introducing some different initiatives.

Since her chapter’s members are already attending medical school, they can focus less on the application process and more on health issues facing the world.

Gadela said that one of the chapter’s most rewarding events was one where a local physician spoke about ways to prevent human trafficking.

On top of their existing “lunch talks” with local physicians and senior female faculty members, the graduate AMWA chapter wants to start a mentoring program of their own with third- and fourth-year medical students guiding first- and second-year ones. “[Speakers] help give us advice on how to balance life and school, and show us a day in the life and how it’s possible to be a doctor,” she said.

Both presidents said that their members are mostly female, though men have participated — and are always welcome to.

staff, being left out of administrative decisions, and not receiving pay or benefits equal to their male peers,” according to JAMA Internal Medicine.

As a mother, such consequences infuriate Oberstreet.

The biggest issue plaguing women in medicine, she said, is the stereotype that, “if you think you want to start a family, you can’t. It’s messed up.”

Although women aren’t being let into medical school as jokes anymore, Oberstreet still wants to dispel the negative stereotypes pegged against them.

“We are women who are doctors,” she said, “and we can have a life outside of medicine.”

“We need to change what it means to be a female in a maledominated profession.”

-MARCY OBERSTREET

GROWING BY THE YEAR: MORE WOMEN ARE BECOMING DOCTORS Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to earn her medical degree, was admitted to medical school as a joke. According to the Smithsonian, the school’s dean asked for the input of 150 men before allowing Blackwell to enter Geneva Medical College’s doors.

The men unanimously granted her access — but only because they thought the dean was kidding.

That was in 1847. In 2017, 170 years later, the percentage of women enrolled in medical school (50.7 percent) topped that of men for the first time, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

And it happened again last year, but with another first for women in medicine: more women applied to medical school than men, the AAMC found.

In recent years, the number of women doctors — particularly younger ones — has gradually increased, according to Athenahealth, a healthcare software company.

Gadela is optimistic of this recent pattern.

“STEM can benefit from a diversity of of people,” she said. “They will bring different innovations and new ideas.”

Despite the upward shift, most women in medicine, particularly soon-to-be and current mothers, say they face gender discrimination.

Reuters reported that 78 percent of surveyed female physicians faced discrimination because of “pregnancy, maternity leave, or breastfeeding.”

Being a mother and doctor can come with disadvantages, like “disrespectful treatment by support

MARCY OBERSTREET IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNDERGRADUATE AMERICAN MEDICAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION CHAPTER AT FAU. PHOTO BY KRISTEN GRAU 3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 11

FEATURES

WOMEN A MINORITY MANY STU GOVERNM POSITIO

There are plenty of women in Student Government, but not many are in top leadership roles.

ROSS MELLMAN | MANAGING EDITOR

12 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

ARE A TY IN UDENT MENT ONS

A

T A SCHOOL that constantly advertises its diversity, where 43 percent of students are male and 57 percent are women, women make up only a fraction of the Student Government leadership positions.

While women are prevalent in many parts of Student Government, there’s a clear distinction between gender in key leadership roles.

The gender disparity does not only exist in appointed positions of Student Government — the recent presidential and gubernatorial election highlighted the fact that most of the candidates were men.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE RECENT SG ELECTION PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES:

Three candidates ran for student body president – Kevin Buchanan, Jonathan Marr, and Neasha Prince, with Prince as the only woman.

In contrast, all the vice presidential candidates – Celine Persaud, Kitana Thomas, and Leona Robinson – were women.

Celine Persaud, the vice president-elect, found the all women ticket ran by Naesha Prince and Leona Robinson inspiring.

Persaud called it encouraging because “the tide is starting to turn.”

The last woman student body president at FAU was Emily Lawless last Fall.

“For a long time, men have predominantly been serving these leadership roles within student government, which means that men have been making the majority of the decisions that affect women’s experience at FAU too,” Persaud said.

Persaud emphasized that women provide unique insight on many issues they face at college campuses.

“Threats to women’s safety, health, and opportunities on campus are important issues that women in leadership roles can effectively address,” she added.

While also discouraged by the small number of women candidates running for president, Persaud said, “incoming women should never deprive themselves of the opportunities that FAU has to offer — always believe in yourself.”

As vice president, Persaud will serve as the President of the Senate and will play a key role in allocating the university-wide budget.

CAMPUS GOVERNORS:

Missing from the stage during this year’s Boca gubernatorial race was a woman candidate. All three Boca candidates — Elijah Colas, Javier Bravo, and Alexander Zand — were men.

Last year, Der’Resha Bastien was the Boca campus governor. She was noted by a previous Boca campus Justice, Sayd Hussain, for her fiscal responsibility. This was due to the comparatively low cost of her campus address as compared to current campus Governor, Luke Turner, who came under fire for his spendings.

3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 13

FEATURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF CELINE PERSAUD

The Davie campus’ only candidate, a woman named Melissa Carasa, ran unopposed.

Currently, only one out of the three campus governors is a woman.

The outgoing governor, Luke Turner, appointed an allwomen cabinet. The cabinet includes the Boca chief of staff, marketing director, and campus treasurer.

The all-women cabinet is unique in that it was the only department of SG that was entirely women.

However, this department of SG was again representative of the trend that the main leadership positions are held by men, while the associate positions are held by women.

ACROSS BRANCHES, MEN HOLD MOST KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS As far as numbers are concerned, the House is by far the most balanced. There is a nearly even split of men

14 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

“For a long time, men have predominantly been serving these leadership roles within Student Government, which means that men have been making the majority of the decisions that affect women’s experience at FAU too.”

-CELINE PERSAUD and women representatives in the House.

Yet for committee chairs, only one of the three committees is chaired by a woman.

Kitana Thomas is chairwoman of the Ways and Means Committee and was also a vice presidential candidate.

She is responsible for the distribution of student activity and service (A&S) fees that are collected yearly in tuition.

The primary leadership positions, the speaker of the House and pro tempore, are both held by men.

In comparison, the Boca Senate consists of three male senators and is led by Marianne Alex, who currently serves as vice president and as president of the university-wide senate.

Having been a member of the House since her freshman year, Alex has dedicated much of her time at FAU to be the highest ranking woman currently in Student Government.

She quickly climbed the ranks in SG, becoming

speaker pro tempore in her sophomore year and speaker of the House in her junior year.

While her attempt to become student body president in the spring of 2018 was unsuccessful, her platform championed mental health awareness, sexual assault awareness, transportation and safety, and campus improvement.

As the president of the Senate, she is a member of the University Budget Allocation Committee, otherwise known as UBAC, which oversees the university budget A&S fees.

In the judicial branch, there are no women.

In fact, the student court consists of justices from the three campuses, all of whom are men, including the chief justice.

The judicial branch, which is tasked with determining the constitutionality of Student Government statutes and sits on the Student Code of Conduct Hearing Board, is devoid of a woman perspective.

The lack of female representation can have an adverse effect when hearing cases that involve women’s issues.

The UP reached out to Marianne Alex but did not hear back in time of publication.

ENDING THE GENDER GAP IN SG Celine Persaud noted that gender disparity in Student Government is not unique to FAU, and is simply a symptom of a greater societal trend.

“The problem is that women are poorly represented throughout all levels of government and unfortunately that is true at the student level as well,” Persaud said.

While the recent midterm election brought the greatest number of women serving in the United States Congress, the House of Representatives is only 24 percent women while the Senate is only 25 percent women. The Supreme Court has the highest percentage of women, which is a mere 33 percent.

Persaud stated that solving the gender gap starts with women taking the initiative in seeking positions of power.

“It is important to have at least half of the student government leaders and officials be female to effectively represent the student body’s needs. This starts with getting involved and inspiring other women to be involved as well,” Persaud said.

WHAT ARE THE BRANCHES OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT? Judicial branch: The Student Court consists of a chief justice and three campus associate justices. The judicial branch, through the Student Court, has jurisdiction over cases involving questions of interpretation and application of the Student Government constitution and student body statutes.

Legislative branch (House and Senate): Senate: The Student Senate consists of nine campus senators- three from the Boca Raton, Broward, and Jupiter campuses. The Senate is chaired by the student body vice president. The Senate’s primary responsibilities are presiding over university-wide statutes, presidential appointment approvals, and the university-wide budget allocation process.

House: The campus Houses of Representatives can write or sponsor legislation such as bills, simple resolutions, and joint resolutions. The House will then vote or veto and upon approval will be sent to the executive branch for vote or veto.

Executive branch: This branch includes the office of the president and office of the governor.

The executive branch is elected leaders who are responsible for the planning and execution of programs, projects, and services provided to the student body.

Key players include the president, the vice president, and the cabinet.

3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 15

FEATURES

EQUAL REPRESENTATION NOW FAU’s National Organization for Women raises awareness of gender inequality and discrimination.

CAROLINE BELL | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

H

OW DOES FAU’S National Organization for Women (NOW) describe themselves on Instagram?

“Feminist as fuck.”

NOW is a feminist club dedicated to raising awareness about and fighting against gender and racial discrimination.

“Our goal was to build a community of like-minded people so that no one would feel alone on campus,” said FAU NOW President Joi Dean, a sophomore marketing major.

FAU NOW was founded in 1966 and currently has hundreds of chapters across the United States. FAU’s NOW chapter has been at the Boca Raton campus since November 2017 and is attracting women and men with their mission.

Founded by former student Tiffany Walter, the club’s members discuss common misconceptions about feminism by providing an open forum where everyone is welcome to discuss their ideas.

“I think there is this idea in society of what a feminist is, someone who hates men or who wants to destroy society because they don’t agree with how they’ve been treated. All we want in the end is for everybody to have equal opportunity in life, but we think that that message is often lost,” said FAU NOW Director of Communications Kamea Unger, a sophomore political science and philosophy major.

In spite of these misconceptions, the club has been successfully recruiting both male and female members.

16 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

FAU’S NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN AT A CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON D.C. PHOTO COURTESY OF FAU NOW “There are probably about 35 to 40 people who come to our meetings on a weekly basis, and probably five to six of those members are guys,” Dean said. The club primarily uses social media to recruit, but also passes out flyers and occasionally sets up a table in the Breezeway.

Despite their name, FAU NOW values the input of their male members just as much as their female ones.

“I think feminism issues are also issues that men should be concerned about. We had a ‘men in feminism’ event, and it was really interesting to hear their perspective,” said Unger.

The group does not focus solely on women’s rights, but rather on how everyday issues, such as race, religion, and mental health, affect women’s lives. FAU NOW prides itself on advocating for “human rights of all kind, for all kind,” according to their mission statement.

A major part of FAU NOW’s philosophy is to hear and respect all viewpoints, not just those that they agree with.

“Last month we went to a Turning Point USA meeting, which is a politically conservative organization on

campus, because we want to be open to everyone. It’s dangerous to live in your bubble and not get any outside information because then you demonize people that don’t agree with you, rather than seeing them as human beings,” Unger explained.

The majority of the club’s meetings are discussionbased, where every attendee is encouraged to provide input on a certain topic. The group discusses issues such as immigration, human trafficking, and gun violence.

“We’ll usually do an icebreaker or some kind of game, then we’ll make any announcements that need to be made, and then we’ll start the discussion for the week,” Dean explained.

In addition to these weekly meetings, the club also facilities monthly bonding events, such as brunches and picnics.

“Despite the stereotypes of feminism, all we really want is equality for all people,” said Dean. “It isn’t about hating anybody or bashing anybody. It’s simply about believing that all people are equal and that they should be treated equally no matter what they look like or believe in.”

You can follow FAU NOW on Instagram at @fau_now.

TAKING ACTION

Generation Action, the Planned Parenthood organization on campus, is trying to reduce the stigma around abortion.

CAMEREN BOATNER | STAFF WRITER

M

EMBERS OF FAU’S GENERATION Action chapter stood in the free speech lawn counter-protesting the anti-abortion protestors flaunting large signs of aborted fetuses.

They said the students need to know that someone was there for them to advocate and provide accurate information about reproductive healthcare. And having a leadership team of all female and gender nonconforming individuals makes the topic even more important to them.

That’s what the organization, which is a part of Planned Parenthood, is all about.

“I think people really need to see that on campus, and people need to know that there is an organization actually cares about them, versus that anti-abortion groups that are shocking, stigmatizing, and shaming,” said Alex Bruens, a political science major and president of Generation Action.

Generation Action does more than counter-protesting.

They also host sessions covering topics like safe sex, drinking, and consent, among others. They say one of

the biggest aspects of advocacy at FAU is recognizing that, at college age, your voice is important.

“As young people, we have so much power. Our voices actually can make a difference. So we are part of this generation of people who are ready to take action,” Bruens said.

Natasha Roberts, vice president of Generation Action, says she was always an activist, but her advocacy took off once she joined.

But both Bruens and Roberts say that Generation Action isn’t just political, it’s educational first. Their organization is all about teaching students how to have safe, consensual sex — and on the Boca campus, reported rapes more than doubled from 2016 to 2017, the UP previously reported.

“On college campuses, there’s a lot of sex, there’s a lot of alcohol consumption, so I think I want to get this information to more people to make this campus safe.

So there’s less instances of something that people don’t want to have happen, whether that’s from alcohol and sex to personal relationships,” Roberts said.

Bruens said the education they promote on campus is especially important for women.

“There’s a lot of myths, and there’s a lot of blame placed often on women in these situations, and I think we have to make sure to get the correct information and get education on consent, healthcare, abortion,” Bruens said.

Bruens, who identifies as non-binary, says a major part of this is poor sex education, and if it were improved, things would be different.

“I didn’t receive great sex education, and one of the

cornerstones of Planned Parenthood and what we do is educate on safer sex and reproductive healthcare options,” Bruens said. “That’s what I care about most: access to education about abortion and everything else Planned Parenthood has to offer.”

Roberts tables for the organization every week on the Breezeway to recruit for the group as well as educate. Most of the time, students are respectful of the information, but other times, that isn’t the case.

Someone came up to her while tabling and wanted to discuss the history of Planned Parenthood. They didn’t believe it was really a healthcare provider. When Roberts was trying to explain what the group actually does, they were unreceptive.

“A lot of people get stuck in their political positions, and that’s really frustrating. There’s no room for education for some people,” Roberts said.

Regardless of how many people disrespect the group because of their political affiliation, there are students who appreciate their work. People sometimes even come up and hug Roberts while she’s tabling.

“When people are spreading factually correct information, they’ll come and share their stories about the time they went to Planned Parenthood or their other experiences … I’m glad to be a resource for people to do that,” Roberts said.

Roberts also said if you hear someone screaming “free condoms” on the Breezeway, that’s most likely their booth.

You can follow Gen Action on Instagram at @ faugenerationaction, or follow them on their Facebook page.

FAU’S GENERATION ACTION LEADERSHIP TEAM. PHOTO BY ALEX LISCIO 3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 17

FEATURES

THE FOUNDING WOMEN OF LAMBDA ALPHA LAMBDA

THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF LAMBDA ALPHA LAMBDA WEARING THEIR DIATERNITY’S LETTERS. PHOTO BY ALEX RODRIGUEZ 18 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

Women in the LGBTQ community have created FAU’s first gender-inclusive Greek organization.

ISRAEL FONTOURA | STUDENT GOVERNMENT EDITOR

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AST AUGUST, House Rep. Gabriella Miernik founded Lambda Alpha Lambda (LAL), the first gender-neutral Greek organization on campus.

Not to be confused with a fraternity or sorority, LAL is a diaternity, which means it’s open to both men and women — and members of the LGBTQ community. The root, dia, means across or through in Greek, echoing the organization’s commitment to transcend boundaries.

The first of its kind at FAU, LAL is an inclusive space for those who want to be involved in Greek life that centers around activism and community. Open to allies and LGBTQ students, members are encouraged to “Live your truth,” which is the motto of their organization.

The executive board is made up entirely of queer women: Miernik, a junior political science major, is the president; Savannah Havens, freshman public management major, is the vice president; Bethany Gallagher, freshman computer science major, is the director of finance.

“Women in leadership should not be taboo. I hope that this campus can one day be at a point where an allwomen [executive] board is no less common than an allmale [executive] board, and being part of that for LAL is one important step forward,” Gallagher said.

However, the diaternity is not recognized under the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life because they aren’t in a council, or an official governing body of Greek life.

Even so, to be in a council you have to pay dues, get insurance and other materials, which has been difficult for the 7-month-old organization.

THE FOUNDATION Miernik originally reached out to other co-ed Greek life organizations in hopes of starting an FAU chapter, but soon came to the realization that she could start her own.

Before starting her freshman year, Havens researched FAU’s Greek organizations but couldn’t find anything that fit her interests. That was until she found Lambda Alpha Lambda through a Facebook post.

Gallagher found the organization through Havens, who convinced her to apply the week before applications closed.

“Once I went to the informational session and met some of the other members, I was hooked and knew it was something I really wanted to be a part of,” Gallagher said Regardless of not being recognized in a council under the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life, they’re not letting that get in their way.

During rush week, Gallagher conducts interactive presentations, complete with packets, and trains new

members on diversity, domestic violence, and leadership.

“It helps the members learn why diversity is so important to have in an organization and how experiencing that diversity in college helps people be more tolerant in the ‘real world,’” she said.

They also organize a “lifesaver training,” which is focused on suicide prevention. Since they aren’t trained professionals, they go to the Counseling and Psychological Services office to have a dialogue about this topic which deeply affects the LGBTQ community.

COMMUNITY IMPACT The most impactful memory in LAL for Havens was volunteering in Fort Lauderdale at the Covenant House, a shelter for the youth and women with small children.

“A lot of these people are the same age or younger than us,” she said. “Seeing people in our community, helping them, [and] creating a positive environment for them was my favorite thing.”

Gallagher described her volunteering experience as emotional.

“It was really impactful to see the people you’re doing stuff to help. It elevated the reality. People are actually directly benefiting from an hour or two of time I’m putting in,” Gallagher said.

“I love how active it is. I love having the opportunity to get involved in the community,” Havens said. “We’re small, but we’re mighty.”

The founders are deeply invested in LAL because they want members to be welcome and validated where they otherwise may not.

“I really like being part of an organization that gives people a safe space,” Gallagher said.

Havens believes that FAU is “getting there” in accommodating LGBTQ students.

“It’s come pretty far, but I know there’s work to be done,” Havens said.

They’re currently in the planning stages of their biggest event of the year, the on-campus Pride Parade, which they hope will take place during Ally Week in April.

Miernik hopes that, within the next year, the Boca campus will be more inclusive.

Miernik argues that the issues aren’t “people targeting people,” but the lack of accessibility and programming that needs improvement. She cites a lack of LGBTQfocused events, no gender-neutral housing, and not enough general-neutral restrooms as a few of their most difficult obstacles.

LEGACY Starting a Greek organization and being a full-time

student hasn’t been easy for the founders. “[There] has been times I’ve been frustrated or overwhelmed,” Miernik admits. What keeps her going is “seeing that the members actually care.”

Her long-term goal is to have multiple chapters across the U.S., but for now, she wants to have their flag in the Student Union. Miernik wants to be remembered for her work with Lambda Alpha Lambda.

For the founders, being a woman in a leadership role has given them the chance to be more outspoken. With the three of them having previous leadership roles, they’re all familiar with not receiving the same level of respect as their male peers may have.

“Women oftentimes are overlooked and talked over in group settings, and I have been in situations where that’s happened to me as a young leader, but growing as a leader, especially in the unique position I’m in, as a member of an all-female [executive] board, gives me the chance to speak my mind without fear that I wouldn’t be heard,” Havens said.

From Miernik’s perspective, there aren’t many women in leadership roles, on or off campus.

“I think being that representation and putting women in charge will help with [changing] that,” she said.

Although the board tries their best to embody inclusiveness, it’s important for them to work alongside women because of their shared experiences.

“As a group of women, we tend to communicate more freely and bring a different energy to our organization than I feel I’ve been a part of in the past,” Havens notes.

“I think that we as an all-female [executive] board have a completely different dynamic.”

Gallagher wants to set an example for women who want to equalize leadership on campus.

“Being a woman in a leadership role means breaking barriers that shouldn’t be there in the first place. I love that I have this opportunity to show other women that there are leadership positions on campus, and it’s important for us to take advantage of that,” she said.

Gallagher feels that because two out of three members are freshmen women, “it helps empower other freshman women and hopefully will inspire them to get involved in campus life early.”

Even though it’s her first year at FAU, Havens has big plans in store for LAL. “[I want] to get Lambda Alpha Lambda’s name out there. The name of our organization is really important to me because, personally, I think we’re doing really great work,” she said.

Gallagher hopes to grow their membership and institute the organization in Greek life.

“It’s probably going to take the four years I’ll be at FAU, but once we’re there, I feel like it will officially establish us as a staple of FAU,” she said.

3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 19

FEATURES

STUDYING GENDER AND SEXUALITY ISN’T JUST KILLING TIME

Students and faculty in the program at FAU say that they use the knowledge to get a job, understand their life experiences, and look at the world through different perspectives.

HOPE DEAN | NEWS EDITOR

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JANE CAPUTI IS A PROFESSOR IN THE WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES PROGRAM. PHOTO BY HOPE DEAN

20 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

JEANETTE COLEMAN IS A GRADUATE STUDENT THAT SAYS SHE BENEFITS FROM CLASSES IN THE WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY PROGRAM. PHOTO BY HOPE DEAN

EING A BLACK WOMAN high in the Air Force’s chain of command during the 1980s was not easy for Jeanette Coleman.

She was a logistics manager for parts and supply, a job that she said came with “constant sexism.” Men thought she was “easy” and didn’t hesitate to touch her inappropriately; her nickname was “dragon lady,” due to her not letting people walk all over her.

“Sometimes I had to go there because they’d just push you. If you do nothing, they’ll walk over you. If you be quiet, then they’d think you’re submissive. If you speak up, they think you’re being a bitch,” Coleman said.

Coleman retired from the Air Force in 2002. She has two master’s degrees in English and education and is currently pursuing her third at age 63 in FAU’s women, gender, and sexuality graduate program.

“I took one class and I realized that all of these courses are the theory behind my experience … being a black woman, being a woman, being older,” she said.

The women, gender, and sexuality program isn’t just for grad students. There’s also an undergraduate certificate, similar to a minor, that students can work toward — and it’s been at FAU since 1986, while the graduate degree was developed in 1997.

The field tackles social movements, gendered violence, sexualities of all kinds, and the intersection of identities.

But students and professors alike argue that it’s about more than just concrete knowledge — it offers a way to step back and see the world in different perspectives.

“Our goal is to bridge the differences; bridge our

consciousness. We’re all experiencing ‘other’ in some kind of way. So what do we have in common? How can we come together for everyone?” Coleman said.

And these subjects are more important than ever in the 21st century, according to Barclay Barrios. He has been at FAU for the past 14 years, but things have changed rapidly, even since he became the Center for Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies’ director four years ago.

“The #MeToo movement has made us acutely aware of the number of issues around women, sexual violence, sexual assault … We’re living in a historical movement where these issues are really important,” he said.

‘SO MANY DIFFERENT AVENUES’: THE PROFESSIONAL SIDE The program isn’t only meant to help students understand the world — it helps them find a job within that world, too.

Students who graduate from FAU with the program’s certificate or master’s degree go on to work in a number of fields, according to Barrios and Nall: nonprofit organizations, public law, education, politics, and more.

“There are so many different avenues for one to make use of this field. It really is broadly applicable to virtually every conceivable field of study,” Jeffrey Nall, the professor who created FAU’s Men and Masculinity course in 2013, said.

Some graduates have worked for SunServe, an LGBTQ non-profit resource center near Fort Lauderdale. Jill Rubin, who is the coordinator of FAU’s Women and Gender Equity Resource Center and a former professor of women’s studies, got a degree in women, gender, and sexuality studies at the university.

The certificate is an “add-on” that makes students stand out to employers, especially in the era of #MeToo, Barrios said. Gender and sexuality are being approached differently in the workplace, and a student who can understand these layers can look appealing in the workplace right now, he added.

And even if a student doesn’t go into a field directly related to gender and sexuality, the knowledge they pick up from the classes will help them anyway, according to

Jane Caputi, a professor for the department.

She believes the field has relevance in the home and workplace, and that it will enable students to “understand the issues of the day and what they’re going to be dealing with,” she said.

‘A VITAL EXISTENTIAL BENEFIT’: THE PERSONAL SIDE One semester, Nall’s Men and Masculinity class was full of FAU football players instead of its usual majority of women. He’s fairly certain this was “on accident.”

“I don’t really think they really knew what they were getting themselves into,” he joked.

Athletes would come in on crutches, bruised and bandaged from games against other colleges. It began a series of conversations about the gendered ideas that sports reflect, which Nall thinks was “enriching” for everyone involved.

“We were talking about things like the social construction of masculinity in relation to sports, and the question of who really benefits from men exemplifying these ideas of masculinity?” he said.

Nall believes that FAU benefits more than the athletes because, while the young men receive scholarships, “[they] certainly weren’t getting very much of that million dollars the college was getting.”

Cisgender men, transgender men, men of color, and all other kinds of men have enjoyed this class and the program as a whole because it’s a place where they can explore their gender identity and what it means, he said — because for Nall, the program is about understanding and coming to terms with yourself.

“Being able to know ourselves, being able to feel good about our vision of a meaningful life, having an authentic relation to our identity … are also as vital as having a roof over our head. So in short, even if there was no economic benefit to a field of studies like this, there would be a vital existential benefit,” he said.

For Emily O’Connell, a current graduate student, the program is about the historical context surrounding women.

O’Connell grew up with a grandmother who taught her

COMMON TERMS IN WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES

If you were stuck on what some of the words in this article meant, don’t worry. We’ve compiled a list of definitions for you.

Cisgender - when a person’s gender identity matches with the sex they were born as, according to Very Well Health Feminism - advocacy for women’s rights based on the belief that women are equal to men, according to MerriamWebster Gender - an individual’s concept of themselves that can lean toward masculine, feminine, or neither, according to Medical News Today.

LGBTQIA+ - an acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and more, according to the New York Times

#MeToo - a movement started on social media in 2017 where women told their workplace stories of being harassed or assaulted by men, according to Vox Patriarchy - a male-dominated form of society that profits off of enforcing gender roles, which includes the oppression of women, according to ThoughtCo Sex - a biological trait determined by the genitalia a person was born with, according to Medical News Today Sexism - discrimination against someone, usually a woman, on the basis of their sex, according to ThoughtCo Transgender - when a person’s gender identity does not match with the sex they were born as, according to WebMD

to stand her ground and a mother who held a powerful corporate position, but none of this could protect her from the sexual harassment and exploitation that she has experienced while working in retail since 16, she said.

“I think it’s important to understand all humans’ decency, all humans’ basic rights, and I think you should be empowered in your own self and your own knowledge,” she said. “I think you need feminism because the world has proven that we can’t live without it.”

And for Coleman, the program is about understanding her past and reaching toward a better future.

“I have a daughter, I have two granddaughters, and I have three great-granddaughters. And looking the women in my family … I know what they went through, but I want to understand how to break some of the cycles that I’ve seen in the past with the future,” she said.

HOW THE WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES PROGRAM WORKS FAU has both an undergraduate certificate and a master’s degree in the subject, and students can customize their classes based on what they want to focus on within the field.

The three topics of women, gender, and sexuality studies are under the same academic umbrella because they share a history of being oppressed by the patriarchy, according to Caputi.

So, given the field’s broad nature, students pursuing both the undergraduate certificate and the master’s degree can choose within a wide range of classes to focus on a certain area.

About 100 students complete the undergraduate certificate per year, and the graduate program has about ten students at any given time, Barrios said.

Students majoring in interdisciplinary studies can also get a concentration in women, gender, and sexuality studies.

But courses associated with the program are all over the university, so far more than 110 students are taking them during the semester, he added.

Classes associated with the women, gender, and sexuality studies program are pulled from all over the university, and any person can participate in them regardless of major, Barrios said. You might have taken one without even realizing it — some of the general ed classes that students are required to choose from like “Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality” are a part of the program, and other courses within the program are included in the curriculum of specific majors.

The field is interdisciplinary, which means that its topics are intertwined with multiple other fields of study. Sexism has ties to anthropology and criminal justice, for example, while the concepts taught in computer science may be difficult to relate to another field.

“Women, gender, and sexuality studies isn’t just a very isolated field. It permeates every subject matter … It’s really re-conceptualizing all the fields as to how gender has been either silently informing what’s going on,” Caputi said.

3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 21

OPINION

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AREN’T TAKEN SERIOUSLY Women in leadership are exhausted – but don’t underestimate us.

SOPHIE SIEGEL | EDITOR IN CHIEF

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NE YEAR AGO, I attended a Democratic Socialists meeting in Palm Beach County to talk about starting a Young Democratic Socialists chapter at FAU. A man asked my boyfriend if he was the person in charge. He was surprised when my boyfriend pointed to me and said, “She’s in charge.”

I am sure if I was a man, I would have been the one referred to as “in charge.” Something I learned as an activist is usually, the man is going to be the one taken a little more seriously.

WHAT DO WOMEN THINK? According to Pew Research, women have said that in a male-dominated workplace, it is harder to get ahead.

Morgan Sachs, a conservative activist and Washington D.C. director for March for Our Rights, runs an organization that advocates for less firearm restrictions.

She has also experienced her fair share of gender bias in leadership.

“There have been times when men underestimated me and my ability to pull a project or task together but I have always exceeded expectations,” she said.

Sachs was previously the president of the FAU chapter of the conservative group Turning Point USA, where she later landed a job with the National Rifle Association.

She said she went on an activity with her company to go to a shooting range.

22 UNIVERSITY PRESS 3.20.2019

“WE CAN DO IT!” POSTER FOR WESTINGHOUSE, CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH ROSIE THE RIVETER, ALTHOUGH NOT A DEPICTION OF THE CULTURAL ICON ITSELF. MODEL MAY BE GERALDINE DOYLE (1924-2010) OR NAOMI PARKER (1921-2018).

“A lot of the men there assumed I did not know what I was doing and had not shot a gun before but it was the other male intern who never shot before,” Sachs said. “I think it definitely surprised a lot of these tough NRA guys that a girl had been to the range before but the guy intern had never even used a firearm.”

According to Vox, more women identify as liberal.

Thirty-seven percent of women identify as conservative, while 48 percent of men identify as conservative.

Currently, there aren’t many women that identify as Republicans in Congress, according to the Chicago Tribune. This year, that number went from 23 Republican congresswomen to 13.

Emirya Fanaeian, a trans woman of color who brought the March For Our Lives movement to Utah, said she experiences gender bias on a daily basis.

“People still get angry and have reservations when they see a trans woman of color asserting my ideas and unabashedly putting my ideas to the forefront,” she said.

Fanaeian also feels that society has made it hard for trans women, but feels it has been getting better for women like her.

“Society has built this tiny box for women of color and it has told us that we are not to transcend the boundaries of that box, and when we do there is a lot of pushback.

But women like me, women all over this nation are indeed transcending such boundaries in order to get things done,” she said.

Fanaeian also believes that gender bias is very real and there is a difference of treatment between her and her male colleagues.

“My male colleagues can go about their work cavalierly and people in our board rooms will still unequivocally trust them simply because they have a charming smile and a suit on,” she said.

She also believes that identity plays into this.

“I have witnessed firsthand that women, especially trans women of color, that have the qualifications, expertise, and experience still have all the social and cultural systems working against them in the professional fields,” she said.

Former EIC of UP Emily Bloch said, “Leading the UP as a young woman taught me so much about the industry and leadership …. But it also showed me really quickly how much harder women had to work compared to men.”

Former candidate for SG president and current president of First and Proud, Neasha Prince, felt gender bias made her sad.

“It comes with dealing with people that are ignorant, dealing with people that are keen on micro-agression, dealing with people that are racist but doesn’t believe that they are racist. There’s a lot to unfold within the territory of being diverse,” Prince said.

Prince said being a woman of color impacted how she was viewed as a leader, but even broadened her view of the leadership world.

“People would treat me in a way that is not directly related to my leadership abilities. I am a capable person yet this individual decides to treat me as if I’m not; it only comes down to what that person thinks of me,” Prince said. “Often times, the color of my skin seems to have a factor in their analysis of me. If anything, it made me a better leader.”

Mary Beard, a professor who teaches at Cambridge University told PBS that the impacts of men beholding

power over women is, in turn, “shutting them up.” Beard later says power in society held in speech - a power that a man holds over a woman.

It’s no surprise, as women have a long history of being told to shut up.

Not only are women silenced, but women are also ignored. When women report sexual harassment behavior from male colleagues, they are often told to “stop complaining,” and are shamed, according to HelloGiggles.

This reality caught the eye of the nation when Sen. Elizabeth Warren was silenced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during the vote for former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, where she wanted to speak about Sessions. This coined the term “Nevertheless, she persisted,” as she continued to speak.

ADVICE FOR WOMEN, FROM WOMEN As a woman leader, I am exhausted fighting to make sure I have the same level of power as a man.

I attended a panel at a college media conference where five women journalists told us that if we aren’t someone’s assistant, we don’t ever need to act like it and to call shit out as we see it.

It is important to point out that women in leadership roles are making strides.

In Congress, women make up about 20 percent and in the Senate, women make up about 23 percent. And 39 of the 110 women in Congress are women of color.

This year, in light of #MeToo, we have seen a surplus of women running for office.

Nancy Pelosi is currently the majority leader of the house, replacing Mitch McConnell due to the 2018 midterm election when Democrats became the majority of the House.

In the 2020 primary, there are currently six women running to be the next president. In addition, a black

woman named Maya Rupert is leading Julian Castro’s presidential campaign.

While things have changed, there is much to do for women. It’ll be women that change that. For me, changing the nature of the workplace by having men understand that being a woman shouldn’t be equal to weak or silent.

That also means men becoming allies for women.

During the same conference a few weeks ago, I went to a panel about women in the media. The women on the panel praised the men that attended and mentioned it’s important for men to be the allies for women, when in the workplace, women are the minority.

Sachs said that while “it is important for men not to underestimate women, women should try not to underestimate themselves as well.”

It’s all similar for women across the board.

“People are going to deem us as unlikable at times.

However, it’s up to us to believe in ourselves and empower ourselves,” Fanaeian said. “Powerful women are needed in leadership positions, and speaking from experience I know that self-empowerment is the strongest tool to have in leadership.”

Fanaeian had advice to men by telling men, “When women lead things to get done, so allow those powerful women around you in your everyday lives to start leading without you questioning them. And please don’t take credit for their work either.”

Bloch’s advice to those working in a field with men?

“Being a female student leader taught me to seek truth and report, but also take no shit.”

Prince believes it starts with discussion to improve anything.

“I don’t think we are doing enough. We need to talk more. The only way we can learn and improve is through conversation and the willingness to learn from other perspectives,” she said.

BREAKING DOWN THE VIEWS OF WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE In a study done by Pew Research, women have said it has been harder for them to get ahead in the workplace than it is for men. Women are seen more on the basis of how nice they are and how good they look. Men, on the other hand, are seen as more professional and tough.

We broke down the gender bias here:

Men’s top qualities: 33% Honest/Morality 23% Professionalism/Financial Success 19% Ambition/Leadership 19% Toughness/Strength 18% Good work ethic

Women’s top qualities: 35% Physical attractiveness 30% Empathy/Nurturing/Kindness 22% Intelligence 14% Honest/Morality 9% Ambition/Leadership 3.20.2019 UNIVERSITY PRESS 23