I attended the GSEC 15th Annual Women’s Conference this past Saturday, April 20 at 12pm in the BMU auditorium. The Conference began with a welcome and introduction where I was able to talk with others sitting at my table about who everyone was and why they were attending this conference and some of their view on feminism. One woman at our table that I really enjoyed talking with and hearing from was Rhonda. She had a lot to say and I was there to listen. Going to something like this was a little out of my comfort zone, but I went into with an open mind and ready to listen to everyone.
After the introduction was the first workshop facilitated by Renee Bracey Sherman, Bi- Racial Queer Ally. She discussed her experience from when she was 18 and went through with an abortion. Over the years she has found that discussing her abortion experience and identities has helped to build conversations across movements. When sharing her own experience she wishes to break down barriers of multiple oppressions and people face everyday. Renee started her presentation with a discussion. She asked everyone to pair up and think of a time that we have had a secret and how it felt to have that secret and secondly, what if others found out about it. I spoke with a fellow classmate and we both agreed that keeping a secret is very hard. You feel alone and wish you could share it to get it off your back and have someone there to help you. But if anyone found out about your secret you would be scared, scared that they would not accept it and make judgments. Renee kept her secret that she had an abortion from her own parents for about 8 years. It was hard and even harder telling them. But once she told them that stigma was lifted. Renee believes abortion is something that we should be able to talk about. If in her situation we shouldn't feel shame and stigma. When telling people her story, she felt safe and supported. That is how everyone wants to feel. Abortion has always be a topic that I do not really like to talk about but Renee showed me that it is okay to talk about. If people do not talk about issues in our world, people will stay ignorant. This all connects to the women’s movement. It is important to speak up and embrace your identity. No one wants to be put into a box, so others shouldn't make judgments of others. Putting people into groups makes stereotypes and stereotypes often lead to unjust treatment. This was all discussed when