The Feminist Majority Alliance organization encourages conversations about life, race, gender, disabilities and sexual health. FMA also provides resources to students for family planning, are in an abusive relationship, and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections by handing out contraceptives, as well as informing students where they can find free STI testing.
On Tuesday, Oct. 21, Katelyn Barnett, senior accounting and finance double major, and treasurer of Feminist Majority Alliance, led a general meeting on the history of zines. FMA provided materials for attendees to create their own zines.
Barnett said zines were typically used to spread ideas and would be handed out for free.
“It’s a way to publish ideas without having to have an actual publisher, or newspaper, like it’s all independent, and usually, in history, they would just make this information, sexual health information,” Barnett said.
The biggest event for FMA is the Condom Carnival in the spring, which is meant to break down the stigma on sexual health and raise awareness on STIs. Local organizations, health departments and university organizations also participate in the carnival by creating educational games for students to participate in and learn more.
“It’s just a fun little game, learn about sexual health, have a chance to win a prize,” said senior biology and pre-medicine double major and President of Feminist Majority Alliance, Sabrina Dunning.
Other recent gatherings the FMA organization participates in were Flowers on the Lake and World Contraception Day. At Flowers on the Lake, FMA had a speaking part to honor victims of domestic violence.
For World Contraception Day, the FMA tabled in the University Center West to give out condoms, lube, resources to students and encourage people to speak on sexual health.
When it comes to planning an event or advocating for an issue, not everyone agrees on the resources FMA provides for students.
“We kinda tiptoe around reproductive health a little bit more, just because there’s a little more pushback now,” Dunning said. “Things like abortion rights, so we kinda have to be careful with that.”
This “pushback” comes from students and their organizations.
“We don’t want everybody to think that we just focus on that, because we do a lot more than just abortion rights, you know?” Dunning said.
In addition, Dunning said, FMA makes sure to follow regulations while remaining true to FMA’s purpose on campus.
“I think the stigma is real. People definitely take less things from our table when we’re not there, and we come back, we see a lot of condoms and lube have been taken. And that’s great,” Dunning said. “I just wish people were more comfortable talking about it, or wanting to know what feminism is about and what we do.”
Events from FMA are shared through socials and Engage USI. Any student interested can attend FMA’s meeting.
