'We the Women' Group Fights Stereotypes
A new group has been established this semester that focuses on empowering and uplifting the women of MVNU.
We the Women is a group that is working to create an environment that is inclusive, allowing young women to come together, listen and share with one another.
MVNU junior Emily Rahe facilitates the group while others who attend are free to voice their stories and opinions during the sessions.
“This meeting started because I believe our campus needs a space for women to know they have a safe space each week to freely discuss topics within womanhood,” Rahe said. “I wanted women to know they will be listened to, loved and empowered in this hour each week.”
Each meeting the women can look forward to sharing and listening to life experiences, topics of equality and how prayer plays a role in womanhood. Above all else, the mission of We the Women is unity.
“Our vision for each meeting is togetherness,” said Rahe. “We hope to understand ourselves and empathize more with women through each meeting, but we also pray that we can find ways to reach equality and better representation for women.”
The sessions give students a safe place to experience unity, develop relationships and promote a sense of community.
“Our weekly meetings allow us to talk through a range of topics that I believe are necessary to address,” said Rahe. Because the sessions also build relationships, participants can then “continue these important conversations outside of meetings.”
Students who have attended agree that the group gives them a greater sense of community and helps them feel a part of campus. The group also acknowledges women for who they are, what they hope to be and what stereotypes they hope to change.
“I think it’s important to be part of the group because there are more things to be done on behalf of women. It’s more than just being second to the other gender, it’s feeling like as a woman you are expected to be a certain way, and you’re seen as an object,” said MVNU student C’enna Baisch.
“We want people to understand that it is deeper than equality among men,” she said.
We the Women hopes to empower and bring awareness to social issues, as well as everyday problems women face.
Rahe hopes that the group can continue to grow together and welcomes anyone who would like to come. Meetings have had 15-20 people attending so far.
Although We the Women is not an official club yet, Rahe is in the discussion phase with Director of Community and International Ministries Catie Hayes about the possibility of it becoming a school-sponsored club in the future.
The group meets in Foster Hall every Wednesday at 9 p.m.