Oregon daily emerald., November 21, 2003, Page 5A, Image 5

Feminists march in EMU
to dispel misconceptions
A group of 20 feminists
marched through the EMU
on Thursday with T-shirts
also stating their message
By Jared Paben
News Reporter
About 20 men and women wearing
"111is is what a feminist looks like" T
shirts drew confused glances and in
quiries as they walked in slow motion
though the busy halls of the EMU on
Thursday.
The group, which included members
and supporters of the ASUO Women's
Center, was trying to show a snong
feminist presence on campus and de
bunk misconceptions about feminism,
organizer Sarah Wells explained.
She said ideas of militaristic lesbians
have been wrongly attached to the fem
inist movement and that part of their
goal in holding the rally was to discred
it those myths.
"The dictionary definition of femi
nism is a belief in social, political and
economic equality of the sexes," Wells
said. "You don't actually have to be a
woman to be a feminist anyone can be
a feminist and most people are if they
accept that definition."
The walk was part of a recent cam
paign by the Women's Center to help
the public connect with the idea of
feminism. A series of six posters
meant to show the public the every
day faces of feminists were created
with photographs of student group
leaders, she said.
Women's Center Director lisa Foisy
explained to those rallying before the
start of the march that the walk would
be a combination of art and activism —
Tim Bobosky Photographer
Women’s Center Director Lisa Foisy leads a group of feminists through the EMU as they
wear shirts reading “This is what a feminist looks like." Proceeds from the sale of their
shirts will go toward the University production of “The Vagina Monologues."
and they would be the art. By walking
in slow motion the marchers would
draw attention and arouse curiosities,
she said.
'This is a marketing tool for people
to stop and look," she said.
Women's Center employee Mona
)ones said the performing art aspect of
the walk was right up her alley because
she is a dance major. Jones volunteered
to help hand out brochures and explain
to the public the reason for the march.
She said they originally wanted to
have an open house ceremony for the
center, but decided it wouldn't reach
enough of the public. Instead, they
decided to hold a walk to gamer pub
lic attention.
The Women's Center chaiged $ 10 for
each shirt and sold a total of 35, Wells
said, adding that the profits will all go
toward The Vagina Monologues" pro
duction, for which the Women's Cen
ter badly needs funding.
Wells, a junior studying public rela
tions, first hatched the idea for the walk
during a bike ride to school.
"1 was riding my bicycle to school
one day and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be
cool if everyone wore their feminist T
shirt on the same day?"' she said.
"And then I just off-handedly men
tioned it at the staff meeting and there
was a lot of support."
Wells said that if the walk is success
ful in attracting people to the Women's
Center, organizers will plan to do it
again next year.
"If we can bring one person into the
Women's Center who's never been into
the Women's Center, it'll be a success,"
she said.
Contact the people/culture/faith reporter
at jaredpaben@dailyemerald.com.
CIVIL
continued from page 1A
spond a little bit more, since I'm from
around here," he said.
The audience did respond to the
players, who towered imposingly over
the more than 100 students who filled
the Edison gym for the 45-minute as
sembly. While waiting in the school's
entrance for the assembly to begin, an
excited group of students swarmed the
players, waving soaps of paper and beg
ging for autographs from anyone more
than 6 feet tall. The excitement only in
oeased upon the arrival of the Duck,
whose strutting and random hugging
of teachers was greeted with cheers
from the laughing students.
"The energy is great," Greek Life
event Coordinator Erin Muessle said.
"You can't help but have a good time."
As the event's founder, Keim directed
the assembly. He spoke to the young
students primarily of the importance of
respect and academic dedication, in be
tween performances by the cheerleaders
and a football team skit. It was difficult
for the athletes to repress grins as Keim
led the children in chants of friendship
and courtesy; however, Keim said the
message underlying the event's jovial at
mosphere is actually very serious.
"There are some really ridiculous
things that have happened on cam
puses," Keim said. "When peoples'
teams win and they go out and trash
their towns or schools, what's the
point of the game?"
Keim — the author of "Fan Eti
quette; " a book on violence perpetrated
lay collegiate spectators — was himself
the target of fan harassment when he
took his family to the 2001 Oregon
State v. Fresno State game.
"My wife was threatened; I was ha
rassed," he said. "Just leaving the stadi
um was one of the scariest experiences
uf my life."
Keim's program has been lauded
nationwide as a progressive response
to the growing severity of fan misbe
havior, gaining recognition in news
papers such as The New York Times
and the Chicago Tribune and draw
ing praise from schools throughout
the Pacific-10 Conference.
Despite this, the gravity of the event's
underlying themes was not able to
dampen the mood at Edison on Thurs
day. Although representatives from
Oregon State failed to attend, Muessle
and Keim managed to carry the pro
gram through on schedule.
"I think that things were definitely
successful," Muessle said. "The point of
this whole event is to show kids that
sports aren't about hating the other
team, but about teamwork and just
playing the game."
Keim was also positive about the
program.
"When we went to Adams Elemen
tary in Corvallis, the kids cheered the
Duck," he said. "That is the whole
point right there."
In addition to an entertaining assem
bly, the Interffatemity Councils and the
Panhellenic Councils of both universi
ties donated $500 to the opposing city's
elementary school.
'This is just a really good opportu
nity," said freshman Duck quarter
back Brady Leaf. "Of course on Satur
day it is going to be intense — its
even more intense than I thought it
would be — but we don't hate them.
This just gives us a chance to show the
kids what it's really about."
Andrew Shipley is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
01777: I
The University of Oregon
CAmpus Restorative Justice Program
Campus Restorative Justice is...
A unique framework for responding to behaviors that negatively
impact the University of Oregon community. Participants meet
face-to-face in a facilitated process that invites individuals
to talk about how they were impacted by a given incident and explore
how any harm might be repaired.
If you would like to apply
to be a Restorative Justice Facilitator
pick up applications
at the office of Student life
or call 346-0617.
A collaborative effort between Conflict Resolution Services
and The Office of Student Judicial Affairs
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