Feminists alliance gathers to address historical issues

With the feminist movement still active today, members of the UNC Feminist Alliance are working to bring women’s issues to the forefront of the community.

The alliance hosted its first meeting of the semester Friday in Candelaria Hall. The meeting consisted of an hour-long discussion about God and feminism, with about 15 people present at the discussion. Caitlin Marsh, the public relations officer and a communication graduate student, said the meeting was a success.

The discussion began with the question, “Is it possible to believe in God and still be a feminist?”

“I’ve had people say, ‘You believe in God and are a feminist? That’s interesting’,” Marsh said. “When I worship, I worship to a God that considers me equal to men.”

Other topics included whether or not Jesus was a feminist, the role of language in religious texts, whether a feminist can be pro-life and the role religion plays in such beliefs.
 

The club members also examined the subordination of women in many religions and the role of men and women based on natural physical differences, truth and goodness, and the various types of feminism.

Although religion and feminism may seem like unrelated topics, Melanie Stacey, the group’s event coordinator and a sophomore English major, said they are very much related.

“Everything relates to feminism in some way,” Stacey said. “A lot of women in history tend to be unrepresented, and this is no different in the Bible. Some rules in every religion are oppressive, and they take it to try to make it modern.”

Robin McGillick, a freshman education major, also said she thought religion relates to feminism in many ways.

“God loves us so much and wants us to be happy, so he pursues us,” McGillick said. “Women should be treated equally because God loves us equally.”

Nate Lock, a senior music performance major, participated in the discussion and said he would go to future meetings.

“It was awesome that a group could come out on campus and talk about issues in Christianity,” he said. “I enjoyed my time, and everyone was very open to opinions.”

Although the discussion focused on women in the Bible and women’s roles and statuses in many religions, the discussion also included what it means to be a feminist in today’s society.

“If you believe in human rights, then you are a feminist,” Marsh said.

The UNC Feminist Alliance meets every other Friday in Candelaria Hall room 0140. Its next meeting will be 5 p.m. Feb. 19.