Ridgefield High School’s Action for Gender Equality Club is dedicated to promoting gender and race equality, raising awareness about women’s issues, and fundraising for organizations that positively benefit women on the local, national, and international levels. There is a common misconception that feminism is about making women “better” then men. RHS Action was created to combat this erroneous belief with the mission to raise awareness of the need for balanced and equal treatment of men and women. Spencer Hance, member of RHS Action, says “Feminism is a platform to discuss how negative stereotypes of women hurt everyone.”
Founded last spring by Sarah Heft, Jane Connard, Hannah Belden, Rachel Kisken and Calia Cameron, RHS Action (originally named RHS POWER) was formed to alleviate misconceptions about gender issues at the high school. Sarah Heft, co-president of RHS Action, says, “People seemed to believe the Women’s Rights Movement ended with passage of the 19th Amendment; we wanted to start a club that shows that feminism is alive and well and making serious strides for women all over the world.”
With that in mind, RHS Action began meeting every Wednesday to discuss topics ranging from the toy market’s effect on children to gendercide. These topics encourage lively debate and discussion between the student members and faculty. We also incorporate “Chauv-in-Tell,” which allows members to talk about women’s issues they have seen in the news, as well share personal stories of sexism they have recently experienced.
Action also fundraises for fantastic women’s organizations. We are hosting a drive for the Women’s Center of Danbury, which helps women fleeing from domestic violence as well as victims of sexual assault. Also, we have raised over $200 so far this year, which will be donated to a female entrepreneur through the microloan organization Kiva. With the Kiva loan, we hope to extend our help beyond the boundaries of our community to women around the globe. “Women everywhere are affected by sexism,” Rachel Kisken, club secretary says. “It’s important to remember that while our country has made great strides towards equality, many women in other countries are not as lucky.”
RHS Action has started a conversation about women’s issues within the student population at RHS. “I think this club has broadened the views of many people on the topic of feminism and gender equality,” says RHS Action member Isabella Arms. “There is a common misconception that feminists ‘hate men’ and are extremists. This group helps to prove those stereotypes wrong.”
Today, women are succeeding in every area. We have more women in politics than ever before, mainstream media is recognizing and even highlighting transgendered women in movies and television shows, and our generation is standing up to sexism in ways that we have never seen before. Through continued youth involvement and education, we improve not only the status of womankind but also humankind worldwide.
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Cameron Calia is co-founder and co-president of RHS Action, which supplied this column at the invitation of Ridgefield Democrats.