Feminist Alliance

Minutes (Feb 21, 2012)

• Intros
• Discussion: reclaiming words
• When is a pejorative word ready to be reclaimed? Who gets to reclaim which words? What happens when some people think a word is ready to be reclaimed but other people continue to find it offensive, dehumanizing, or hurtful?
• The word “bitch”: loaded with a lot of sexist tropes, used to describe women who are loud/express opinions (unpopular opinions), who don’t fit into what women are supposed to be.
• use in the queer men’s community
• thrown around a lot more than the word “cunt”
• has dual meanings: either a woman who does a man’s bidding (like a dog) or a woman who has her own opinions and comes into conflict with men
• “Bitch Magazine”: for women with thoughts
• “slut”
• doesn’t really have a male equivalent
• many words describe people who have a lot of sexual partners: some are gendered, some are not, but most of the words that only describe women are pejorative
• what is gained by reclaiming words like these/is it worth it?
• Reclaiming right to be a woman and be sexual, take the power away from denigrating women for doing that
• What’s more empowering is being able to choose what you want to do with your sexuality; how much sex you want to have (if any), etc a problem in placing emphasis on empowering people by reclaiming a word that only honors and values one choice
• Contributes to virgin/whore dichotomy
• conscious reclaiming: the word “dyke” refers to a certain identity category
• only the people who are subjected to insult by that word can reclaim it, and they should only use it to refer to themselves individually, never make the decision to reclaim it for another person by calling them an insulting word
• basically, don’t use reclaimed words toward people unless they have consented to it.
• Updates
• Bitchfork
• WVKR, mostly woman-fronted bands, radically patriarchy-resistant, alternative music festival
• Rachel and Faren met with organizing committee
• They said that they’ve thought about the use of “Bitchfork” and still plan to use it, cited some other feminist bases that uses “bitch” as empowering word
• Sometimes feminists don’t agree on things, and that’s okay – maybe they aren’t explicitly identifying it as feminist because of connotations of “feminism” as a one-stranded theory/practice, only representing a very narrow political ideology?
• Fem Alliance is gonna tap out of being involved in this event at this point since we weren’t really involved to begin with
• Merely Bitches theater production
• Working title for Merely Players production
• Fem alliance emailed the director: he seems pretty attached to the title, possibly because he wants to attract people who might not otherwise come with a light-hearted title
• Some people in fem alliance are uncomfortable with combination of “merely” and “bitches,” also the use of the word “bitch” by a male director is problematic
• Trigger warnings for theater productions
• Sounds like it will be discussed at all-organization meeting next week
• Consent disclaimers on party posters?
• Might have subliminal effect on party-goers
• Would demonstrate Vassar’s focus on keeping women safe
• Think about what this disclaimer might look like: we’ll talk about it next week
• New Projects
• Possible collab on screening of “Women, Art, Revolution”  with FLLAC tentatively April 12th
• Explores feminist artwork/art history, lots of cool historical footage
• Art department is sponsoring screening
• Does fem alliance want to be involved? Yes!
• Fem Alliance should be able to contribute some money, maybe have a discussion panel
• Think about other programming ideas
• Upcoming events
• Screening of “The Help” tomorrow (Wednesday) in the CDF at 7PM
• Thursday @ 6PM lecture on “The Help” in Sanders Classroom
• Tabling @ All College Day tomorrow (Wednesday)
• All Female Variety Show
• Subcommittee meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) at 9pm in the Retreat.
• Brie is point person
• Feminist study time
• Mondays 6-9pm in the women’s center with snacks and tea
• Budgeting meeting
• Thursday at 5:30pm in the Retreat
• Pauline Park
• Activist and speaker: talks about trans women’s issues, Asian-American issues, and their intersections
• Collab with TransMission: event focusing on trans issues
• Roar
• Sundays from 10-11:20pm in the Faculty Parlor

Steering Committee

• Contact Pauline Park about possible speaking collab with TransMission
• Figure out display for All-College Day table

Minutes (Feb 14, 2012)

• Introductions
• Vagina Monologues Discussion
• Locus for feminist discussion, often the only one on a lot of campuses – must make sure that the conversation continues after the event, make sure that its not the only representation of feminism
• Creates feeling of community, solidarity
• Without background of feminist theory, might be less powerful
• TVM is important because people are uncomfortable talking about vaginas
• Exclusionary: draws divide between American women and other women around the globe, also limits “female experience” to people who have vaginas
• Talk-backs, display encourages people to be engaged, allows people to see that they’re not the only ones who have criticisms
• Ways to improve
• Possibly add monologues written by Vassar students that address things that are questionable – legally, not allowed
• might have an entirely different event of Vassar student monologues as a response. Amherst did “Vagina Confessions” without the companion of TVM and it went really well
• emphasize things that are problematic and that the cast is aware of them to make it clear to audience going in
• Upcoming Events
• Feminist Music Festival?
• Email aldeane@vassar.edu if you have suggestions/want to be involved with coming up with a name
• WVKR is putting on all-female music festival with artists outside school. Problematic names: want to have a conversation about it
• Name ideas:
• “Red Tent”/”Red Stage”: like the idea of celebrating female spaces, but not excluding people who don’t menstruate/referencing a biblical menstrual tent
• “Warp the Patriarchy Tour”
• “Fem ______” Fem-aroo? Femjamz, fembeats, etc
• Keep thinking about ideas, we will talk about it again next week
• Earth Week
• Hosted by Vassar Greens, after break in April
• They want to know if Fem Alliance wants to be involved: do we want to/what do we want to do?
• Ecofeminism subcommittee: email fatang@vassar.edu if you want to be on it
• All-female variety show with on-campus performance groups: Fem Alliance’s big event for the semester
• Variety Show Subcommittee
• If you’re interested in being point person or being on the committee, email: fatang@vassar.edu
• Point person: must be at all Fem Alliance/steering committee, being responsible for subcommittee (providing updates, organizing meetings, keep track of things that need to get done/who needs to do it, how much it will cost)
• Committee Check-in
• Spectrum
• Squirm is having sex-toy auction fundraiser Saturday 8-12pm in the Jade Parlor
• April 11^th CARES Sexual Assault Awareness Week
• Contact cares@vassar.edu if you want to be involved
• CLRG: Campus Life Resource Group
• Meeting to talk about campus life/puts on campus dinners,
• All College Day (next Wednesday)
• Conversations around tensions on campus
• Flyer will come up in email
• Fem Alliance Tabling @ All College Day 1:30-3:00PM in the Villard Room à signup will go out to fem alliance email
• Fem Alliance Business
• Written structure of organization/constitution: how we represent ourselves to VSA/the world
• If you’re interested in contributing, email fatang@vassar.edu
• Julia Ding as both treasurer and DP
• Two roles should be totally separate and non-conflicting
• If anyone has an issue with her doing both roles, talk to Rachel or Faren (or email either of them) at your convenience
• V-Day related Until the Violence Stops screening and panel on Thursday at 8PM Rocky 200
• History of V-Day campaign/global movement against violence towards women & girls: we want to talk critically about movement at the screening
• Info on Fem Alliance facebook group
• Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/242769435807962/
• Feminist hang-out/study space
• Mondays 6-9PM in the women’s center with tea (In Strong off of the parlor)

Steering Committee

• Events
• National Abortion “Bowl-A-Thon” (National Abortion Fund Committee)
• Raises funds for people who cannot afford to have abortions
• They want to raise money by having a bowl-a-thon – should Fem Alliance do it? It sounds complicated, expensive, and time-consuming – people might not take it seriously
• Perhaps instead we could have a bowling field trip because we like bowling
• Feminist Coming Out Day
• Feminist pride day. Marh 8^th (over spring break)
• Fem Alliance could throw our own that’s not over spring break, but it would be less connected with national campaign
• Make some “I Am A Feminist” –esque t-shirts? Bring this up in general body
• “This is what a feminist looks like” t-shirts
• “WMST – there it is” / “hooked on hooks, stuck on Steinem, lovin on lorde, burning for butler, pissed at the patriarchy” t-shirts available in WMST office on 2^nd floor of New England (cash only)
• Trans-focused event
• Potential speaker:
• Pauline Park: trans woman, gender rights activist, involved in big name organizations
• From New York, so cheaper: work with transmission for funding
• http://www.paulinepark.com/
• Miss Representation screening collab w/Misc
• Didn’t work out last semester
• Want panel with powerful women in media speakers: Elizabeth DeBold, Patty Rousseau, and more
• Office of Health Ed planning on doing a screening – they’re willing to do it with us
• Fem Alliance can’t contribute much: a little money, person power. Also sponsored by Misc and Office of Health Ed
• Will keep posted when we learn more about it
• “Merely Bitches” play (working title, but there are posters up in the CC with that title)
• WVKR All-female music festival: “Bitchfork”?
• Faren and Rachel will send Thea an email about setting up a meeting to talk about political implications of feminist music festival and title
• Trigger warning for play that includes sexual violence
• Director doesn’t think it’s necessary to put a trigger warning on the poster because he’s concerned about spoiling the storyline
• Email heads of theater orgs and ask to require trigger warnings for sexual assault, domestic violence, suicide (need more comprehensive list of things) for performances that include these things – Faren and Rachel will write this email tomorrow

Minutes from February 7, 2012

• Introductions: Favorite De-stressor
• DP (Re)Elections
• Discussion: Trans People and Women’s Spaces (Led by Tristan)
• Events/Subcommittees
• GAAP Conference (Happened)
• Planned on holding more meetings for students interested in activism
• First meeting: Feb 24 4-6pm, College Center MPR
• Email aldeane@vassar.edu
• “VaJammin”
• No new information
• Spectrum
• No new information
• CLRG
• All College Day topic: Change at Vassar
• Consensus on Tabling for this event
• Operations Committee
• Holding meeting to discuss how student government operates
• Interested in attending? Email fatang@vassar.edu
• Interested in sitting on CLRG (Tues 3-4pm)? Email fatang@vassar.edu
• Vagina Monologues!!
• Subcommittee Meeting tomorrow (Wed) at 7pm in Shiva
• Still need tablers to sell Vagina Cookies
• (Also, buy Vagina cookies in retreat all week)
• Shows are Thursday, Friday, Saturday 8pm
• Reserve tickets at info desk
• Need tablers to sell Vag cookies at shows (you get guaranteed seat if you sign table!)
• If you have articles/thoughts/images pertinent to the Vagina Monologues that you would like displayed at the showings, please email them to Lauren lamulligan@vassar.edu
• Women’s Center Study/Chat time is happening
• Monday 6-9pm
• SAVP Coordinator is being hired!
• Email fatang@vassar.edu if you have questions/concerns about the hiring process or that you wish to voice to possible candidates
• Queer Lady Parties is looking for possible new names
• Wolf Parties?
• If you have feelings about this email fatang@vassar.edu
• Battered Women’s Services Haircut Fund Raiser
• February 17^th, 11am-6pm, Renee’s Hair Salon
• Address: 1649 East Main Street, Wappinger Falls
• You can also just donate!
• Email anrhoads@vassar.edu if you want more information

Minutes for Steering Committee

• DP Ballots Counted
• Julia Ding is new DP
• Consensus on allowing Julia to do both Treasurer and DP
• Need to double-check with General Body

The Vagina Monologues Sub-committee notes: Meeting 1

Vday.org— for more information

Until the Violence Stops—documentary to be screened on Wed the 15^th with panel of students and faculty afterwards

• Renee Pabst has confirmed to be on the panel
• Other faculty have been contacted
• Lauren is going to talk to Diane Harriford
• If you know other people/faculty who want to/would be good on it, let us know!
• Students from CHOICE? Women’s studies majors?

Tabling for Vagina Monologues:

• Cast members and fem alliance people
• Sign up will be sent out on a Google doc
• Table in the college center and during the performances
• Will have info/resources available and selling vagina shaped cookies!
• Proceeds will go to the battered women’s services

Resources to provide for the audience:

• Image(s) of the anatomy of a vagina/vulva
• Scholarly articles
• Note from fem alliance included in the program
• Visual display in the lobby including notes, images, articles, etc.
• Info on the fem alliance website with links to articles and resources on the Vagina Monologues

Talk back:

• How can we encourage the audience to stay? Tea? Cookies?
• Actors will stay and talk about their experience
• Fem alliance will facilitate talk backs—Lauren will introduce subject and Faren, Tristan and Lauren will continue the conversation
• There will be an anonymous comment/question box outside the door—those comments/questions will be addressed at the talk-back/film screening panel

Publicity

• Fem alliance will take care of publicity in terms of making posters and hanging them up regarding the FILM SCREENING

For Fem Alliance to do:

• Tabling before and during Vagina Monologues and selling cookies—those who table at the show will be guaranteed a spot and a free ticket!
• Research any monologues and write a blurb critique about it— let us know if you want to be a part of that collaboration. If you do, you will be added to the Google doc so we don’t have overlap in the research. Also, we will be putting a multi-media display together with all the information  at 6 in the Shiva this Sunday the 5^th
• List of questions regarding things to be discussed/critiqued from the show to be addressed at the talk backs
• Ask around for panel members for after film screening
• Make anonymous comment box
• Publicity
• Program note

Timeline/duties for Vagina Monologues sub-committee

• Pick monologues you want to address, post them on the Google doc by FRIDAY the 3^RD
• Find info/images on those monologues
• Bring all of that to the SHIVA 6-9 on SUNDAY the 5^TH in order to make the display
• Brainstorm questions to be used at the talk-backs
• Make program note, sometime next week
• (read script)
• Rachel is taking care of the catering, probably munchies from Adams?
• Talk to people about film screening panel

GENERAL BODY MINUTES 1/31/12

 DP Elections

• Designated Person serves as safe mediator between members and leaders to make sure that people feel comfortable expressing their opinions
• Candidates: Zoey (trained as listener at the Listening Center), Julia (CARES Counselor), Tristan (longtime Fem Alliance member with house team-related training)
• Votes counted – 6/6 tie with Zoey and Julia. Will vote again between the two of them for next week.

Collaborations/Upcoming Events

 The Vagina Monologues

• Wednesday: 9PM Rocky 304 to talk about how Fem Alliance will be involved
• Lauren is point person
• Email fatang@vassar.edu or show up

Jay Michaelson

• Judaic Studies/Religious scholar: how religions can expand their ideologies to include people with nontraditional gender identity
• http://www.jaymichaelson.net/
• Fem Alliance will endorse lecture

Goddess party

• Idea for feminist/woman-positive on-campus party hosted by QCVC
• “Goddess” party is problematic; Fem Alliance might get involved to make sure it is good
• Haven’t heard anything more from QCVC about it
• If you would like to be involved, email fatang@vassar.edu

FtoEmbody

• Performance piece about transgender politics have offered to come to Vassar
• Fairly expensive; could use up most of our budget. We can’t afford it without ViCE, and ViCE can’t participate
• Fem Alliance is hoping to do some other sort of trans-positive event, hopefully with Transmission

Miss Representation

• Documentary about representation of women in media
• Planning for showing last semester fell through
• Alum is organizing screening with a panel of speakers, unofficially: Rachel Simmons (Odd Girl Out), heads of orgs, authors…potential panelists include:
• Dr. Elizabeth DeBold
• Patty Russo
• Lenora Lapidus
• Laura Kipnis
• Ariel Levy
• Maura O’Connor
• Being organized thru Misc –possible other screening, we need to check with health ed, on Feb 23^rd 

Afia Walkingtree

• Fem alliance is endorsing Alum Afia Walkingtree doing African Drum and performance dialogue, Monday, Feb 6th at 5:30 in Rocky 200

GAAP All Campus Activists Conference

• Friday 3PM Rocky 200 Dinner Provided
• http://www.facebook.com/events/285197371539153/

Queer Ladies Social

• Thursday, 8-10pm Faculty Parlor
• Don’t have to be queer to come!
• Wine with valid ID

Spectrum: meets 7pm on Tuesdays every other week

• Fem Alliance, SQUIRM, TransMission, C.H.O.I.C.E., CARES, QCVC, Act Out
• Squirm’s sex toy auction: Friday Feb 17^th from 8pm-12am, Rose Parlor

CLRG

• 3-4:30 in College Center Conference Room Tuesdays
• All College Day: Feb 22^nd. Theme: Change at Vassar

Fem Alliance Business

Meeting Format:

• Change up meeting format to include more discussion
• First 20-30 min on topic of discussion (facilitated), then move on to event planning/coordinating
• Afterward, steering committee (open committee, stick around if you want to be on it. Deals with finances, paperwork, point people of subcommittees check in)
• Next week: create stack for topics of discussion
• 1^st two are taken: Tristan: trans inclusion in all-female spaces, Jess: feminism in art history

roar

• Hang out with all female-identified people!
• 10PM Sundays in Faculty Parlor

STEERING COMMITTEE

• hot water heater in the works!
• Vagina Monologues point person: Lauren
• Event of all-female performance groups: idlewild, indecent exposure, night owls, measure for measure, female students unaffiliated, variety show! Could be big Fem Alliance event of the semester as an all-day event with food, etc. Must make sure it doesn’t overlap with WVKR all-female music festival. 

General Body Minutes 1/24/12

Feminist Alliance Collaborative Events

The Vagina Monologues– Feb. 9-11

• From the early 90s—would like to date it in its time to address and discuss some of the problematic elements
• Talkbacks after the show
• Film screening and panel discussion 2/15

All female music festival General Body 1/24/11

• Will be metting sometime in the next week
• Brought up idea about the name?
• Alex will keep us posted—e-mail aldeane@vassar.edu

GAAP Conference February 3rd  starting at 3pm

• Series of intersectional workshops
• To get all of the activists on campus talking to each other—calendar, etc.
• E-mail aldeane@vassar.edu for more info

QCVC sponsoring Goddess Party

• “Female positive” party
• Some concern about QCVC parties in the past—lack of awareness about issues including consent and sexualization
• Concerns: “Goddess” isn’t respectful of pagan cultures, Implying that women’s route to empowerment is as “Goddessess,” Rules and regs related to having a party at which there may be substances, Sexuality and sexual assault at parties—consent blurb?
• We will move forward with the conversations with QCVC

Committees
CLRG (Campus Life Resource Group)– committee of administrators, faculty, and students 3-4:30 on Tuesdays

• Puts on conversation dinners
• Plans All-College Day
• E-mail fatang@vassar.edu if you’re interested

Spectrum—meeting of reps from LGBTQIA meetings 7:00 on Tuesday

• Angela, Zoe

Notetaking

• Alex, Angela

Feminist Alliance Events
roar meets on Sundays in Faculty Parlor at 10:00

• An all female-identified safe space for discussion

f to emBody http://www.ftoembody.com

• A performance and education duo with an emphasis on trans* issues
• Would cost more money than we have in our budget
• Interest expressed in doing it if we could do it with funding from other sources
• But members expressing a desire to have the bulk of our budget/programming should be more Vassar-oriented events
• Could collab with ViCe, TransMission, bring it up with other Spectrum orgs
• We will find out how much money we can get from other places and make a decision from there

Contacted by a woman who does domestic violence/sexual assault workshops

• Concern about bringing in someone if we don’t know how good it’s going to be
• Attendance?
• No follow-up needed—if we want to do a sexual assault or domestic violence workshop we will talk about it more later on!

Feminist hang-out time

• Jessica and Jessi (women’s center’s interns) could have their office hours in the evenings and make the Women’s Center a feminist space
• Could also be a place for conversation about academic feminism
• People are interested in it
• Space for a forum—Could make a place for discussion on the website, Facebok chat through the the Facebook group
• We will follow up with the Women’s Center

Upcoming Events

Phoenix Rising– a support group run by Metcalf for survivors of sexual trauma

• E-mail mecase@vassar.edu for a pre-group meeting

Women, Social Justice, and Documentary conference

• At Smith March 31st-April 1st
• If you want to go let us know and we may be able to find some funding

Feminist Alliance Business
Capital Budgeting—things that we could use for 3 years or more

• We would like a tea carafe
• Also a pole for the Break the Silence Display
• Let us know if there is anything else you are interested in?

The DP—you can find the description here

• Let us know if you are qualified, willing and able

Steering Committee

• Handles fund applications, paperwork, reserving spaces, logistical support for subcommittees, and org finances
• Meets directly after General Body meeting
• An open committee—let us know if you want to be on the e-mail list!

Constitution

• We will be writing a new one
• Let us know if you want to be on the e-mail list

Meeting Structure
Meetings tend to be very focused on activism and event planning (which frequently takes up a full hour)
Expressed interest in more space for discussion of feminist issues, particularly on campus

• The women’s studies program/major’s committee may be willing to sponsoring those kinds of conversations

Some proposals:

• Two meetings a week: one for event planning and one for discussion
• Alternating meetings for event planning and discussion
• Have one meeting with twenty minutes at the beginning of feminist discussion, followed by activist/event planning meeting, followed by steering committee
• Keep things mostly the way they are and turn the conversations over to the women’s studies program or a monthly type of event

Interest in the alternating meeting format
Interest in fostering a community within Feminist Alliance

• A fun thing at the beginning or middle of meetings?
• Some concern about the icebreaker format—it’s awkward!

Concern with the alternating week format

• Could have to sacrifice either efficiency of operation or the non-hierarchical/democratic/transparent elements of running things by the group
• If we did this could Steering Committee make more decisions without consulting the entire group?

Suggestion for Freedom-School style discussions (with rotating facilitators) at the beginnings of meetings
Expressed belief in the importance of consensus building—especially since people often don’t read e-mails (or minutes—did you get this far?)
Format of a week of lag time between the proposal of an idea and agreeing on doing it—so that anybody who couldn’t make it could still have input

• Alternating weeks would mean a significant delay

More alternative programming/social time could make people more comfortable bringing ideas up
Expressed idea that Faren and Rachel were chosen by the group to make decisions—could filter out a greater portion of input before bringing it to the group

• Response to last semester’s concern about unilateral decision making
• More concern about decision making once projects have been decided on rather than bringing proposals to the group in the first place
• Could Faren and Rachel send out a laundry list to Steering Committee to decide what should be brought to group?
• Would not be strictly non-hierarchical
• However, steering committee is an open group
• Will need to strive to keep steering committee feel as open as possible and publicizing meeting times and agendas; having them in neutral locations

Conclusions:

• Faren and Rachel can filter information a little more thoroughly
• Will bring filtered list to Steering Committee to decide what to bring to General Body
• We’ll try it for now and see how it works!
• This would make the business portion of meeting a little shorter, so:
• Will try the split-meeting format for now
• Look more into the Freedom School format—meant for facilitating discussion/education in large groups
• Discussion times could be jumping off points; also opening up other forms of conversation—hang out times in the Women’s Center and conversations with the Women’s Studies program

Rotating Facilitators suggested at the end of last semester

• We could have a rotating facilitator for just the discussion session portion, but Faren or Rachel will facilitate the business portion of the meeting
• Facilitators for discussion sessions open to whoever wants them
• Sort of like keeping stack, but slower
• We could also have periodic open discussion sessions
• May be easier if there is at least some kind of introduction to a topic

Next week could just be a continuation of elections, introductory stuff, and preparation for this semester and the following week we’ll start discussion sessions the following week

• Tristan will do the first week on trans* inclusion in women’s spaces
• Jess will do the next one on feminist art history’s foundations at Vassar
• For future sessions, people can e-mail fatang@vassar.edu, we’ll run it by the steering committee, and put you on stack!

Subcommittees:

• Anyone can propose an event/topic/thing and we will pass around an e-mail list, the subcommittee can have a point person, and steering committee will be available as a resource
• But primary responsibility rests with the person who decided to spearhead the project
• Steering committee is a resource, and a point person should come to steering committee every week for the duration of their event/subcommittee