Womyn’s Commission

MISSION STATEMENT AS INTRODUCTION

The UCSB A.S. Womxn’s Commission is an educator and an advocate for womxn’s rights, with a commitment to representing and improving the status of womxn on campus and in the community. The A.S. Womxn’s Commission is working toward becoming a diverse group of members reflecting the different voices of the campus and community.

The A.S. Womxn’s Commission must constantly redefine itself if it is going to actively try to recognize how womyn’s issues function within the intersections of race, class, age, sexual orientation, religion, culture and physical ability. Recognizing this means that we aknowledge that one group can never represent the voices of all womxn across these intersections. Therefore, we must look beyond Womxn’s Commission and into the campus and community.

THIS YEAR’S OFFICERS

EVENTS

Halloween Preparations

Each year Womxn’s Commission participates in the campus-wide preparation for Halloween. They debriefed at their post-Halloween meeting, where they discussed how Halloween costumes can reinforce rape culture as well as cultural appropriation and how we can continue to empower ourselves in spite of the microaggressions we face.

Womxn of Color Conference

Womxn’s Commission presented the annual  Women of Color Conference in the Student Resource Building.

 

 

Tabling in the Arbor

Spreading the word about Women’s Commission initiatives and other activities.

Slut Walk

As reported by The Bottom Line during spring quarter, “For Sexual Assault Awareness Month, UCSB’s Women’s Center and Womxn’s Commission teamed up with Take Back the Night for a Slut Walk against sexual injustice and victim blaming. Motivated UCSB students dressed in whichever outfits they felt most comfortable in, choosing to dress as revealing or modest as they preferred, as a reminder that one’s clothing is not an invitation to be violated. . .  The event was led by Alicia Green, a biopsychology major and worker at the Women’s Center, as a way of protesting society’s “slut shaming and attempt to control women’s sexuality and their behavior” as well as “supporting victims of sexual assault so they understand it wasn’t their fault … and that they can be proud of their sexuality.”

The walk wound its way through campus and met with support from students.

 

MEETINGS

Welcome Back Dinner

Womyn’s Commission started the year with a Welcome Back dinner at its first meeting to bring new folks onboard and of course welcome back previous years’ participants.

Discussing White Privilege

The second General Body Meeting of fall quarter was devoted to a discussion about what privilege is and how it impacts all of our lives as individuals and collectively as cultural, institutional, and/or location-based groups. Healthy dialogue was welcomed and encouraged!