Monday, April 14, 2014
Feminist Action Project Conference 2014
Feminist Action Project Conference 2014
Blog by Maggie Johnson
Though many members
of Feminist Action Project have felt like #lonelyfeminists at some point, we
got to experience the amazing strength of feminists coming together to learn
from and support one another this past weekend.
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| Orange Jackets showing why they need feminism |
The Feminist Action Project Conference proved to be an
amazing two days in which feminists from The University of Texas at Austin and
beyond connected with their community. Kim Katrin Crosby set the tone with her
keynote on Friday emphasizing the importance of enriching existing communities
and taking care of one another. She addressed intersectionality, embracing
individuals' exciting complexity.
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| Our keynote Kim Crosby with conference participant |
We
all had so much to learn from one another and immersed ourselves in that
process the second day of the conference. Kim gave an inspiring workshop about
her work and mentors. We then broke out into smaller sessions to see
presentations and discuss topics such as sexism, imperialism, fatness, sexual
violence, and trans identities. These sessions allowed for discussions of the
complex aspects of intersecting identities by providing a safe space to share
knowledge and experience.
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| Conference participants mingling after a session |
The panel discussing feminism across generations offered
a glimpse into varying experiences and beliefs of feminists. It was so
interesting to hear each woman's story of finding feminism and the importance
of other women on that path. As one panelist stated, her mother hoped that one day
women would be able to admittedly enjoy the company of other women. One of our
favorite quotes from participant evaluations is “I learned that feminism is
still sexy, dynamic, and exciting."
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| Feminist Action Project members at the check-in table |
This hope was realized, as feminists gladly supported and appreciated one another throughout the conference by giving each other everything from hugs to space. The Feminist Action Project looks forward to putting together many more events in the future so no one has to feel like a #lonelyfeminist!
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The cast of
“Fat: The Play” after their conference session
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Student
response to the conference that made us cry.
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Thinking Ahead:
Are you interested in joining us next year? We
are looking for passionate students to collaborate and build the Feminist
Action Project for 2014-15. Let us know at: feministactionproject@gmail.com. 
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