By Karri Kirby

Contributor

How can we empower women at CSUSM, or how do we even define empowerment? Does empowerment mean feeling safe, or do we even know how to use this empowerment?

Many people have different opinions about how they feel empowered or safe on campus; therefore each person’s bias about what expresses “feeling safe, “ or “feeling empowered” varies. Currently we have a Gender Equality Center, where they have created an environment where all students of different genders and their different gender problems are welcomed.

Before there was the Gender Equity Center it was the Women’s Center, which was run by feminists and other powerful women. Now the Gender Equity Center is ran by men, so should we question as to why women are not directors of a once known center called the Women’s Center whose name just changed? How are we supposed to feel about this change in power, and do we feel comfortable enough to seek help from these men? Staying involved and getting your voice heard can help you feel more comfortable and even inspire others to speak out about their gender problems they are also currently facing.

Several people may not know anything about empowerment or how to use it. To have empowerment is to give authority or power to something. I think what empowers women is being proactive and recognizing and questioning these gender boundaries.I think we need to ask why isn’t our campus empowering more women, and how can I help them to do that?