I have to blog about the event I have just been to at Sheffield Hallam. I was invited to speak by the Sabbs who had organised an event called ‘Girls Night In’. The event all started because a small group of students approached the Union about setting up a Women’s Group. The Sabbs at Sheffield Hallam were so receptive to the idea that they decided to organise the Girls Night In event! They also set it up at one of their less focused on campuses to make sure that there were more events happening up there.

I just spoke for a few mins about what the point of my job is etc and gave the women there a few facts about sexism and about what you can do about it etc. I asked before I started my talk whether the women in the room felt that the fight for Women’s Equality was over. I half expected them to say yeah etc. But not one woman in the room felt that this was true. Lets remember that these weren’t women who had been involved in the Women’s Movement for years, constantly having heard all the stats etc. These were women who had turned up to the Girls Night In to see what it was all about.

The event started with a few short talks about the Women’s Movement, women’s equality etc and then went into the fun part….

Sheffield Hallam had invited a company called Gash to do a ‘party’ there. Now you might instantly be thinking ‘the new Ann Summers…’ but NO! This is totally different. Gash are in the business of women’s sexual and emotional empowerment. And they are awesome. They talk about safe sex, they talk about all the things that you’d usually be too embarrassed to talk about, they talk about female ejaculation etc. And they actually know what they are talking about. I went to speak to them and found out that the women who set it up was once a part of the NUS Women’s Campaing! I found out that they also do workshops on all sorts of things, and 121 classes and consultations on sex, relationships, using vibrators…you name it basically.

Anyway, the point is that this was an event that was designed to kick start the Women’s Campaign at Sheffield Hallam and they picked such a great way to do it. It was fun, it drew in a massive women only crowd, it was feminist, and it hit on the serious issues as well as the issues to celebrate.

If you are reading this, from a Uni/College without a Women’s Officer, Women’s Group, or Women’s Campaign, this is the sort of thing you are missing out on….empowering your women students and taking them closer to reaching equality.

For information on getting started please don’t hesitate to contact me at kat.stark@nus.org.uk

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