Some of the pink shirts read, “Feminist: (n) someone who believes in the equality of the sexes,” on the front, and “What does Feminism mean to you?” on the back. Others said “This is what a feminist looks like.”
Students lined up in the Pit and across the front of Lenoir Dining Hall for the event until the 300 shirts ran out. CUAB also used the time to advertise the upcoming Jubilee concert featuring 2 Chainz.
“Throughout the entire year we’ve been making a huge effort to target every single different population that usually isn’t represented on campus in the Carolina community, and one event that I decided that we really should target and empower is the whole feminist and empowering women’s day,” Sophomore CUAB diversity chairperson Julian Esain said.
“And so March 8 is International Women’s Day starting in 1909, and we decided to give some more education and informational facts on it.”
Those in line had to answer questions, though not necessarily correctly, relating to the history of feminism and marginalized communities to receive a shirt. Some questions included the name of the woman who integrated public schools, as well as the name of the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
Students said they appreciated the celebration of International Women’s Day, saying they considered the day to be an important recognition of women’s struggles in contemporary society, as well as a way of moving forward.
“Women’s day is important to me because I identify as a woman and also as a feminist,” junior Kaila Eckstein said.
“And so I think women’s day is a great way for women to come together and talk about the issues that apply to us and about ways that we can make long-lasting social change in order to help address sexism in our society.”
