GUEST COLUMN: If it's not intersectional, it's not feminism
By: Rylie Carson, president of Feminist Leaders On Campus
Feminist Leaders On Campus, or FLOC, is an intersectional feminist organization that focuses on leadership through activism. We strive to give our members an avenue to become leaders in current events, politics and activism to lift the voices of others to create change.
Intersectionality is the acknowledgement that there are many different identities that a person holds, and that we must consider all of them in order to know, and fight for, the whole person. This is the basis of our organization, because we believe that if it isn’t intersectional, it isn’t feminism.
Before I was a member of FLOC, I didn’t consider myself a feminist. The only representation of feminism I had seen was of white feminism. This type of feminism fails to address the hardships individuals face based on identities other than sex.
However, when I found out about intersectional feminism and FLOC, it became something I am very passionate about. I came to Central Michigan University wanting to make a difference and be an advocate for others, and being a member of FLOC aided me in this process.
At our meetings, we educate ourselves and each other about topics relating to feminism. These topics can range from reproductive rights to LGBTQ+ rights to current events.
We then take this knowledge and apply it to our education and everyday experiences. Some of our eboard will even be attending the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., this March to bring our voices to the Capitol.
The work FLOC does is extremely important and it can be applied to many different areas of a person’s life. I am extremely proud to be a part of this organization, and my hope is that it continues to uplift others for many years to come.
FLOC meets at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays in Pearce 138.
