How to be a White Male Ally

By: Crystal Lum

As a cisgender woman of color, I’ve experienced my fair share of racism and sexism in my 22 years of life. If we’re being honest here, it would be surprising if I DIDN’T experience that. People will pick on what you wear, what you look like, what you eat, how you speak. If it’s different, they don’t like it. Unfortunately, I identified most of it as jokes and brushed them off, not really thinking it was serious. Most young women of color may react the same way, and generally that needs to be addressed. But before diving into that, we need to address why that women of color NEED to react that way. Cis, white, and male; the three identifying features that can make minorities feel a bit uneasy are all due to the power imbalance that looms over the world to this day. Now, we are in an aging modern society where patriarchy is slowly being dismantled through laws and intelligent, developed opinions.  

How do I become an ally? 

– Do your research. This is the most basic and first step to being an ally. Educate yourself on issues that have affected minorities. 

– Be quiet. Whenever a minority speaks about their experiences, listen to them, don’t belittle their experiences. 

– Amplify their voices. When a concern arises, listen to them, then share what they have said. It can be as easy as sharing a post on your social media. 

– Don’t be a white savior. We get it, you want to help, but don’t make it your whole personality. All we are asking for is your support. Do not go out of your way to help others solely to brag about it. A good ally would do something without asking to be praised. 

– Speak up in your own circles. If any of your friends are being disrespectful to a community that they don’t belong to, call them out on it. After all, whoever you are surrounded with says a lot about your character.  

– Be held accountable for your mistakes. We understand that nobody is perfect. We’re all human after all. But know that what you have said or did has offended a community. Take that as an opportunity to recognize your mistake and apologize. 

 

 

Help End Period Poverty.

By: Anel Sandoval and Crystal Lum

Did you know that over 1.8 billion people menstruate each month? Did you also know that over 500 million of these people struggled with obtaining menstrual products pre-COVID-19? If you thought that was bad, it became harder when the pandemic hit. Economic security significantly decreased during the pandemic, with women more likely to become unemployed and overall reliance on support services increasing significantly.

Along with this, supply shortages sometimes left stores out of stock and the pandemic resulted in quarantines that prevented people from leaving their homes, so people were suffering even more than before.

There is a term for this disparity, appropriately named period poverty. Period poverty is the state where people who menstruate are not able to obtain products to treat their periods. It becomes a barrier to their rights to being clean and their rights to being healthy. It limits their social, physical and mental health. People tend to miss out on parts of their lives due to being ashamed of their periods.

Examples of those barriers are the pink tax, lack of resources, lack of education, waste management and hygiene facilities. What is the pink tax? The “pink tax” isn’t a literal tax in a sense. It’s the action of marking up products directed towards women for items that function the same as men’s products. The products tend to be designed with feminine colors and shapes that tend to appeal to women. Not only does that account for menstrual products, but it also targets beauty products and even clothing apparel. A blatant example of this pink tax is shown below, where Ace Hardware marked the price of an identical item marketed to women up over 30%.

Image

Source: Twitter, @TomKatMPLS

 

How do we fight this?

You can be an ally to combat this ongoing issue by educating others about the need for free menstrual products. Contact your local and federal governments to implement laws and policies to end period poverty. Participate in donation drives, promote menstrual donation drives to the student body and faculty at your university. If you know anyone that needs menstrual products, CVS Pharmacy has done their part to make buying products affordable.

 

Who was Frida Kahlo?

By: Anabelle Obermaier

September 15th- October 15th is recognized as Hispanic Heritage Month, a month focused on bringing light to hispanic cultures, histories, and peoples. In light of this month, I am going to be talking about the artist Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist, mostly known for her painted self portraits.

She was born in 1907 in Mexico City.  At age 6 she became ill with polio and was bedridden for 9 months until she recovered. Kahlo was encouraged by her dad to play sports, even though during that time it was rare for a girl to do so. Later on in her schooling she was one of the only girls admitted into National Preparatory School, a very prestigious school for young students. Even though she was always good at art, her dream of becoming a doctor led her to this school.

The Two Fridas

“The Two Fridas”

When she was 18, Kahlo tragically got in a bus accident. This accident injured her spine and pelvis, causing her to be bedridden once again for months. She began painting more and more since there was not much to do. She expressed her pain through her paintings while she recovered.

She was very expressive with her emotions and didn’t try to hide them, instead she used her art to communicate them through painting. In order to paint her self portraits, she had a mirror above her bed in order to see herself. During the years following her recovery, she began to pursue her career in painting, and no longer went to school to become a doctor. She eventually married a famous muralist, Diego Rivera.

Kahlo traveled to show her work in big cities like New York, San Francisco, and even Paris. Some of her most famous paintings I suggest you look up are “The Two Fridas”, “Self-Portraits on the borderline between Mexico and the United States”, and “Self-Portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird”.

Meet Our New Work-Study Staff, Anabelle!

By: Anabelle Obermaier

Hi! My name is Anabelle Obermaier. I am originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, but grew up in Marshfield, Missouri, a small town near Springfield. I come from a big family with four siblings. I am a Freshman and I’m majoring in political science. Some fun facts about me are that I have a twin sister, I am a cat lover, and my star sign is a leo.

My favorite holiday is Christmas because I love being around family and friends, I love giving and shopping for gifts, and I love the overall Christmas feeling. I am a very organized person, I always need a schedule. I couldn’t live without my planner. Some of my favorite movies include: Little Women, Titanic, and more recently the new Elvis movie that came out this summer. My favorite music artists are Harry Styles, Conan Gray, Taylor Swift, Doja Cat, and The Driver Era. Some of my hobbies and interests include: road tripping, running, plants, hanging out with friends, as well as learning to paint my own nails. Since I do like traveling, I have been to many states, but sadly not any other countries, but I’m hoping this will change in 2023.

I chose to take this opportunity to work at the Women’s Center because I am very passionate about women and gender issues. I am also passionate about LGBTQ+ rights as well as animal welfare issues. I hope to contribute the best I can and to gain great experience!

Someone’s Gotta Say It: The Word “Girlboss” Needs to Die 

By: Emma Sauer 

It’s been some time since I wrote one of these blogs, but I’m coming in hot today with an irritating trend that isn’t going away anytime soon. 

When’s the last time you walked into Target, TJ Maxx, Kohls, or any one of those conglomerate department stores? Have you noticed all those mass-produced t-shirts, tumblers, bags, book-ends, blankets, pillows, posters, and planners have one particular word plastered across them? Something like this:

Source: Amazon

Ugh. Girl Boss. Just typing that out feels like I’m manifesting the worst kind of cutesy faux feminism. Anyway, let me tell you why I hate this word so much. 

The word “girl boss” is a word ascribed to any woman in a position of leadership. It’s vague enough that it can mean a lot of different things, whether it’s a female CEO, business owner, or a middle aged white woman at home selling her Lularoe leggings. I also see it from time to time in Instagram bios or other places on social media. 

So, my main problem with cutesy phrases like “girl boss”, “boss lady”, or “she-eo” is that they’re infantilizing. (And also make for hideous interior design.) A woman in a leadership role shouldn’t be made into a huge deal— at least, not in a way that doesn’t recognize her accomplishments for what they are. When a man is in a leadership role, we don’t call him a “boy boss”, right? That just sounds silly and dumb. Same thing for “girl boss.” It’s dumb, and it makes me roll my eyes. I’m all for lifting up women, but instead of vaguely virtue-signaling with a sparkly pink “GIRL BOSS” plaque on your desk, do the work to focus on specific gender inequity issues.

And you know what? I find this whole “girl boss” thing totally disingenuous. It’s become a way for corporations to create merchandise and market themselves as being feminist, when in reality they’re destroying the environment, using child labor, and under-paying their employees.

Support Women’s Athletics at UMKC at Roo Up! With the Women’s Center

By: Crystal Lum

Hi Roos! UMKC Women’s Center is back with Roo Up! with the Women’s Center! The Women’s Center is a huge supporter of women’s athletics, and we want to hype up and show our pride to our athletes. It’s important to show our support to strive for gender equality in sports! According to the National Women’s Law Center, women who participated in sports were reported to have higher grades, score higher on exams, were more likely to graduate and improve in science classes. There is a dire need to stop perpetuating harmful stereotypes and myths that discourage girls’ participation in sports. We should not undermine their ability to feel supported, comfortable and equally respected while doing something they love to do. The lack of support from their fellow peers can drastically affect their morale. The current disparity between men and women’s sports must be addressed. Women’s games need to be publicized by the student body to recognize their hard work and to encourage them to keep playing.

If you want to join us, check out the following dates to support our women’s soccer and volleyball teams by attending the games and visiting our information table at the event. You can get a really cool pin and other awesome merch to show off! We will be attending these dates:

Roo Up! With the Women’s Center at Bark in the Park

Friday, September 16 at 6 p.m. at Swinney Recreation Center (Game begins at 7 p.m.)

Ticket information here

Roo Up! With the Women’s Center

Tuesday, September 27 at 6pm at Swinney Recreation Center (Game begins at 7 p.m.)

Ticket information here

Hope to see you all there!

Why Work at the Women’s Center?

By: Emma Sauer

At UMKC’s Women’s Center, we run a tight ship.  Between the five of us, we currently have three interns, a graduate assistant, and Arzie, our director. We’re looking for another work study student to add to our team this fall and spring, and it could be you!

If you’re a person who is passionate about helping and educating others and someone who is always open to learning new things, you will flourish at the Women’s Center. Through our events and programs, you’ll have to opportunity to educate and advocate for women’s equity on campus.  Our office is also a safe space for everyone, but especially anyone who feels marginalized.  You will help keep the office running by keeping the area tidy, answering phone calls, and providing resources from our brochures or resource list to those who need it. You’ll also help organize and staff events with your coworkers, along with posting regularly to our social media…and the blog of course! This is a great opportunity for teamwork, as you’ll be working alongside your fellow staff to create programs, campaigns, and to make sure events go without a hitch.

Working with the Women’s Center is an incredible opportunity to gain experience in an office setting while also advocating for gender equity.  Plus, it’s lots of fun!  Many of the programs we run involve art activities, meeting new students, and getting involved on campus! Speaking from experience, working here is a great way to gain experience on campus if you haven’t had the chance yet.  All majors are welcome to apply, and as a work study student, you’ll even get paid!

Application Steps:

  1. Complete the Women’s Center Work-Study Application here.
  2. Send your current resume and class schedule to umkc-womens-center@umkc.edu.
  3. Questions? Please contact 816-235-1638 or
    umkc-womens-center@umkc.edu.

Details:

Aid Term: Fall/Spring

Job Title: Office & Events Assistant

Pay Range: $13.00 to $14.00

Weekly Hours: 12

Weekly Work Schedule: Mon – Thurs, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Fridays, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Some evening and weekend hours during special events)

Job Category: Administrative/Customer Service

Essential Duties May Include: Identify needs of individual and appropriately assist with questions or concerns at front desk. Politely greet students and guests to provide quality customer service; Answer phones. Assess questions; offer solutions or additional resources such as a manager to assist. Demonstrate professionalism in a confidential setting. Implement existing/new tasks, projects and/or ideas with accuracy and enthusiasm. Promote services by serving as an representative through conversations with fellow students. Data entry, mailing and other clerical duties as assigned. Open/close office as needed.

Back to Basics #6: Can Men Be Feminists?

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 By: Anel Sandoval

We are bringing it Back to Basics this week! In this blog segment, we explain feminist terminology, myths, concepts and more! Today’s question is…

“Does a feminist have to be female?” 

Being a feminist means believing that women and men are equal and deserve equal rights. If you agree with that, then you’re a feminist. With that being said, all genders can be a feminist! True feminism is intersectional. Feminism spans across any and all genders, sexual preferences, or ethnic identities. And yes, men can be feminist allies too! 

“Why are men important in advocating for gender equity?”  

Men can be important allies to women in fighting for gender equity and promoting violence prevention. Women have been fighting for women’s equality for hundreds of years, but men also have a role to join in the fight as they’re not the problem, but part of the solution. One example of a self identified male feminist is former President Barack Obama. In August of 2016, President Obama penned his famous This is What A Feminist Looks Like where he reminded us that “it is absolutely men’s responsibility to fight sexism too.” His administration also took big steps to combat campus sexual assault and violence against women, improve equal pay protections, and actively promote women’s issues.  

“What can I, as a man, do to become an ally for women’s human rights?”  

 Great question! Here is a list of ways:  

  • Support women’s organizations such as the Women’s Center here on campus. We have many events you can attend this semester!  
  • Educate yourself on the history of women’s fight for equality as well as current issues.  
  • Start a conversation with women in your life. Listen to women who are fighting for their rights and ask them questions on how you can support them. 
  • Do not be a bystander to women’s violence. If you see it in your home, workplace, campus, or any public place, do not be silent, report it.  
  • Do not share sexist content that belittles or discriminates against women in any way. 
  • Advocate and educate others. Men can challenge other men in a way that women can’t, and if you use that opportunity to try to educate other guys, or just send the message that sexist attitudes are not okay, that can go a long way. It can feel awkward, but it’s worth it and very appreciated. 

Remember that absolutely anyone can be a feminist regardless of their gender and it is our duty, as society, to change the fact that women aren’t equal to men. To learn more click here! 

Break the Cisnormative Status Quo with These Five Tips! 

By: Emma Sauer

An important part of being an intersectional feminist is advocating equality for all genders, including people who identify as genderqueer, nonbinary, intersex, or otherwise gender non-conforming. If you try to be a “good feminist”  like me, you probably know this, but sometimes it can be hard training our brains to not ignore this issue. We’re raised in a society (cue Joker voice) that aggressively pigeon-holes men and women into their respective roles, leaving little room for anything in between. It’s important we recognize, accommodate, and advocate for not just cis women, but also people outside the gender binary. These groups of people face increased discrimination through discriminatory laws, policies, and in their everyday lives. Here are five ways you can break that cycle in your own small way. 

1. Help normalize stating your pronouns: Include your preferred pronouns on places like your instagram or twitter bios, your email signatures, or face to face introductions when necessary. 

 This might feel awkward and unnatural at first, but saying your pronouns isn’t all that weird when you think about it. It’s just an extension of saying your name or any other personal characteristic. Once you get used to introducing yourself with your pronouns, it’ll come much easier. 

2. Use gender neutral language. 

By making minor tweaks to the way we speak, we can easily be more accommodating to all genders. Ex: “Hello, everyone!” instead of “Hello, ladies and gents!”. Again, this may feel forced at first, but you get used to it quick. To those wondering, you can absolutely use “their” or “theirs” in place of “his/hers” or “he/she”. It’s not grammatically incorrect, either. 

3. For god’s sake, let people whatever restroom they need. Trans or nonbinary people should be allowed to use whatever bathroom they’re most comfortable with, end of story.

 It’s a popular myth that predators will use flexible restroom policies to sneak into the “ladies” or “men’s” room, and it’s been debunked over and over. If you hear someone spreading misinformation about this issue, you can politely educate them on the actual facts about this supposed phenomenon. We need to let this myth die.

4. Make an effort to support LGBTQ+ owned businesses and artists. 

Uplifting female business owners and entrepreneurs will always be important! Let’s not exclude those who don’t fall in the gender binary, though! Here are some super neat businesses I found to get you started: Steer Queer Ya’ll (those They/Them earrings are a MUST), Queer Candle Co., and Peau De Loup.

5. Always be open to what the gender-nonconforming people in your life have to say. 

If you mess up and say the wrong pronoun to someone, don’t sweat it: rather than overreacting and begging for forgiveness, apologize, move on, and make a mental note to do better. When someone from the LGBTQ+ community points out something that you’re doing is cisnormative or transphobic, listen. Being defensive will get you nowhere. 

I hope this list was informative for you, or if you already know this stuff, I hope it was a good refresher! Thanks for reading this far, and check out the rest of our blog for more info on feminist topics! 

Back to Basics #5: What is the Women’s Center?

By: Emma Sauer 

Something I get asked a lot, whether at events, in the office, or just when talking about my job is…

What do you actually do at the Women’s Center?”

I’ll tell you! 

The Women’s Center at UMKC serves several purposes. Our office houses a wide array of resources available to the community, such as information on housing assistance, local shelters, and LGBTQIA+ resources. These are available either as brochures or links collected on our Campus and Community Resources tab. We also have a library, a lactation/self-care space, and a kitchen, all available to faculty and students. Of course, we’re also just open as a safe space for any marginalized students, and students are welcome to come in and just hang out. 

Another huge thing our staff does at the Women’s Center is our programming– if you are a student at UMKC, you may have spotted us at one of the many events we host, co-sponsor, or attend. Examples of programs we’ve run in the past include running a menstrual product drive to spread awareness about the Pink Tax, promoting body positivity during Every Body is Beautiful Week, and the Their/Her Art Project, which exhibits and uplifts local female and nonbinary artists. Throughout the semester, the student staff are constantly planning new events like these to promote awareness of gender equity issues with the help of Arzie, our awesome director.

There’s even more to the Women’s Center I could go on and on about, but that’s another post for another time.

“So what’s the point of having a Women’s Center and doing all these programs?” 

 Well, speaking as a woman and outspoken feminist, the Women’s Center matters to me personally because it allows feminism to have a physical, vocal presence at UMKC. The Women’s Center is also important because it provides a safe space for marginalized groups on campus, and our programming throughout the school year means gender equity always has a voice. In other words, we want UMKC– and Kansas City in general– to be more feminist! 

“Feminist? What’s that?” 

… Oh boy. That’s a question for a previous B2B blog, my friend. And if you want to learn more about why women’s centers are so important to have at universities,  you can check out this great article from WIHE (Women in Higher Education).