Societies are a great way to get to know people in university. They allow you to form friendships with people from across a wide range of disciplines and step outside of your comfort zone.
We at UCC Feminist Society are taking this idea even further, by hosting an inter-varsity conference where societies all over Ireland can join us for a day of panels, speakers and workshops.
Fempower will be held on the 23rd of March and is our third time hosting such an event. It is sure to be an inspiring, empowering day for young feminist across the country.
This year, we have an incredible line-up of speakers and panel discussions. The first on Women in Music and Media will be attended by Elaine Malone, Ellen Coyne and Marjorie Brennan.
In the era of the #MeToo movement, we are honoured to shed some light on the realities of being a woman in a male-dominated field and the difficulties that are associated with this. The second panel will centre around the idea of Racism Within Feminism.
We are conscious as a university society that we are incapable of understanding fully the discrimination faced by minority groups and as much as we try to include everyone, sometimes we fall short.
We are delighted to be able to welcome Brigid Carmody and Rola Abu Zeid O’Neill to Fempower so we can learn more about their experiences as minorities within the feminist movement.
Finally, we will end the day with the panel Irish Feminism and Activism: What We’ve Done and Where We’re Going with Ailbhe Smyth, Tanya Dean and Debra Refletter. In a post-Repeal Ireland we must ask the question; what’s next?
We have achieved the right to legal abortion services but there is still so much for us as a nation to tackle going forward. This discussion will allow the next generation of Irish activists to understand our past, so we may carry what we have learned into the future.
If that sounds too heavy for a Saturday, don’t worry! Fempower is not all about serious conversations.
The day will be sprinkled with fun workshops in between panels so we can get to know some of our fellow Irish feminists.
We will be having a DJ workshop with the amazingly talented Gadget and the Cloud, presentations on the History of Queercore, a burlesque workshop with Foxy P. Cox, Consent Class Training and so much more.
Whatever your particular interest in the world of feminism you can definitely find something about it at this year’s Fempower.
It truly is the highlight of UCC Feminist Society’s social calendar. We will have food, chats and excitement with some of the leading activists in Ireland today. From personal experience I know that it is an event not to be missed.
You can be sure that you will come away feeling ready to take on the patriarchy one sexist comment at a time, and with the backing of a whole island of feminist supporters. Join us on Saturday March 23rd in Brookfield Health Sciences Complex in University College Cork from 9.30 am to 5 pm.
