Lauren Coughlin
Staff Writer
The sixth Trojan Treasure is the Women’s Initiative, an organization on campus committed to education, open discussion and innovation in approaching the concept of feminism.
Their stated mission, which can be found on their Facebook page, is “to promote human rights and equality, not just the rights of women,” and this is reflected by their diverse membership of men and women and the active role every member plays in discussions. The Women’s Initiative meets every Thursday at 6 p.m. in Smith Hall room 160.
Meg Shackelford, a senior English major from Troy, revived the organization on campus. Its advisor is Dr. Priya Menon. The focus of weekly meetings varies based on the interests of the group’s members. Often, members are given reading suggestions before the visit of a guest speaker to promote some informed discussions.
To its members, Women’s Initiative is a worthy investment of their time.
“Women’s Initiative is important because it brings to light issues regarding not just feminism, but equality,” member Chrissy Brown, a senior vocational rehabilitation major from Auburn, said. “We discuss ideas and concepts that are important and prominent in every aspect of life. While we may be known as ‘the feminist organization,’ every person could benefit from discussing gender issues and hearing other people’s views on this topic in today’s society.”
Women’s Initiative is more than just a weekly forum; the group is also active on campus. Last semester, members put on the “Measure of a Woman” campaign that tested and challenged campus perceptions of what makes a good woman. The group hopes to complete more of such projects in the near future.
The Women’s Initiative also started a book scholarship at Troy for women experiencing unfortunate economic situations and adversity. Funding for this initiative is currently underway.
The meeting on Sept. 26 will feature a presentation on Islamic feminism, and all are invited to attend.
Those wanting to find more information and join in a lively online discussion should find the Facebook Group ‘Women’s Initiative at Troy.’
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