Feminism and the Occupy CU movement

CU Boulder is joining protestors from across the country in the struggle against corporate greed and poorly distributed wealth throughout the United States.

In red, Michaele Ferguson, a political science and democracy & feminist theory professor, discusses feminism in regards to the Occupy movement. This talk comes just after the Occupy CU movement became a recognized club on campus. (CU Independent/Robert R. Denton)

CU professors gathered on Tuesday afternoon in the Hazel Gates Woodruff Cottage on campus to discuss both the limitations and opportunities for feminists in protests such as the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Deepti Misri, an assistant professor in the women and gender studies program, said that women are constantly changing their roles in activist movements and bringing the public’s attention toward sexist acts still being committed.

“It was always said that sovereign issues came before women’s issues,” Misri said. “But it is a mistake to think that one comes without the other, that women’s issues are not a sovereign issue.”

Rob Buffington, the director of women and gender studies, used examples of women in Latin America to explain why women are taking a stance against oppressive governments and other injustices.

“People believe that the political system in the country no longer represents them or their ideals,” Buffington said. “Protests are an example of democratic practice, it empowers individuals to speak up.”

Feminists are taking a more active stance in the struggle, whether in person or via the Internet. Many female bloggers have begun writing for the Occupy movement. Others believe that tweeting feminist issues followed by #OWS will help bring attention to problems facing women today.

One particularly opinionated blogger, known as Tequila Sovereign, is a self-professed feminist who offers not only a woman’s perspective, but also one from a minority ethnic background.

Daniel Pittenger, an 18-year-old freshman business major, said he supports the Occupy Wall Street movement. He believes that it is important for women to take more visible roles in the protests, in order to ensure that different voices are heard.

“Even though I am a business major, and by definition capitalism is what moves the industry, I admire the effort and support the cause,” Pittenger said. “I think capitalism has changed and the level of greed shown by the institutions is shameful.”

Mike Springer, a chemistry graduate student and the founder of Occupy CU, insisted that his main objective is to get people involved and get them to care. Now that Occupy CU is an official club and receives funding from the university, he said it will be easier to make an impact.

“The main problem in this country is that people have stopped caring,” Springer said. “They have stopped paying attention to what happens around them and therefore are not involved in anything.”

Occupy CU meets twice a week in front of the UMC fountain area and has a Facebook page created by Springer. Their next large event will be held on Dec. 9 from 1 p.m.- 8 p.m. in the Glenn Miller Ballroom.

The event will be a series of lectures given by Dr. David Paradis, Dr. Michael Huemer, Dr. Elizabeth Dunn, Dr. Arturo Aldama and Dr. Joe Bryan, among others. Springer encourages all students to attend and hear what they have to say.

“I just want to get students to care even if it is against the Occupy CU objective,” Springer said.

Occupy CU can be reached at [email protected] and http://www.facebook.com/OccupyCUBoulder.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Mariana Tomassi at [email protected]