SACIS announces new biweekly event

Colleen Kane, Contributing Reporter

The Sexual Assault Counseling & Information Services has a new biweekly event held on campus. “Let’s Talk About Feminism” is every other Thursday for the rest of the semester. 

Students can have an open discussions. It is a safe space where students can learn about feminism and what it means to be a feminist. Different topics will be discussed at each meeting, to get a new experience each time.

Taylor Diskin, social justice empowerment services coordinator, said they felt this was a thing the campus has been missing since EIU FEM left in late 2018. 

“I came across the ‘Feminist Handbook,’ I said what’s a better way to get involved on campus,” Diskin said. “Because we no longer have the EIU FEM, I thought this would be a good way to incorporate that for people who were still interested.” 

EIU FEM was an RSO on campus that was all about feminism. They have been on hiatus for over a year and there is still no clear understanding if or when it will return. The lack of feminism discussions on campus is what led to SACIS creating this new event. 

When it comes to what topics they will discuss each week is up to the people who attend. 

“We wanted to leave it up to the people who are coming to decide which topics would be covered since there voluntarily coming out to have this discussion.” Diskin said. 

At these meeting there are a variety of activities. Some included self-reflection and group discussions. 

People in attendance brought up personal experiences and how feminism has affected them. Many people who were in attended were excited and eager for the next meeting.

Paige Darnell, a counselor at SACIS said “We all love working with the (Charleston) population,” Darnell said. “We are just a bunch of females and love to empower other females. I think this (event) fits along with all our values and morals.”

The SACIS team has only held two of these events so far but are hoping with time it becomes a bigger event. They hope to reach a variety of students of all backgrounds. They want a non-judgmental space where people can come and learn. The more people talk the more they can learn. 

SACIS hopes to attract not just the attention of women. 

Amanda Feder, director of prevention said, “feminism is for everybody.” 

Colleen Kane can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]