“We’re on our way”: UF’s Women’s Student Association is celebrating women’s history month with a focus on the past while looking to the future.
WSA is holding 13 events for the month, which are free and open to the public. The organization has spent about $12,000 on the events, which are sponsored by Student Government.
“It (the theme) means that we have come so far in celebrating strong women, but there is so much more to do,” said Merin Thomas, a UF freshman.
WSA kicked off the month with the Women’s History Month Opening Ceremony on March 9 where Andi Zeisler, a co-founder of Bitch Media, spoke at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom.
“Our goal is not just women specifically but all people,” Thomas said. “Regardless of any circumstance, we want to include everyone.”
The 18-year-old said she is excited to attend the “Masculine Mystique” event March 24 in Pugh Hall. At the event, men will discuss women’s issues from their point of view.
“The panel is going to talk about their views on women and feminism,” she said. “There will be a broad spectrum on the panel.”
This is the fifth year WSA has been on campus, said Lillian Rozsa, a 20-year-old UF political science and women’s studies sophomore.
“We encourage a lot of discussion,” said Rozsa, the vice president of WSA. “Women’s History Month is about sharing a lot of diverse experiences.”
Contact Meryl Kornfield at mkornfield@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @MerylKornfield.