The group members opened their goody bags and found Trojan condoms and chocolate.
“We try to make feminism fun,” Nicole Elinoff said, President of the National Organization for Women at UCF.
UCF NOW’s purpose is to end oppression and to educate the student body about social justice issues and women’s rights. Elinoff has been a NOW member for two years and the organization’s president since June.
“I have been a feminist my whole life,” Elinoff said.
The National Organization for Women originated in 1966 during the civil rights movement. There are over twenty five chapters in Florida alone including UCF’s own NOW chapter. UCF’s NOW chapter began in 2005 and is going strong.
NOW members held a music and raffle event at Natura’s Coffee and Tea on Oct. 10. The members were able to reflect over the past semester including their own experiences from the club.
Do not assume this organization has only women members. Elinoff says the organization is “for women, not of women.” One of the male members is freshman Vernell Leavings. Leavings said the NOW group has helped him love his body and sexual orientation.
“People have this stereotype that young gay guys are fit and looking for strong guys,” Leavings said.
His mother is not accepting of his homosexual lifestyle and his straight friends do not understand his struggles. However, NOW has allowed Leavings to accept himself inside and out. Homosexual men are not the only ones who are pressured to be in shape, but straight men as well.
“Males are victims of the male-dominated system,” Leavings said.
Leavings said he saw a shirt with the words “Man Up!” printed on the front. He said this could be considered offensive. The message on the shirt instills the stereotype in which men must be tough and show no pain.
Last month, the organization focused on body image. On Oct. 17, official Love Your Body Day, the organization held a photo campaign on campus promoting students to love their physical image.
“Everything isn’t just black and white. There are gray shades between,” NOW member Erika Hanley said.
Hanley also struggled with her body image. She said she attended the slut walk at Memory Mall on Oct. 7. A slut walk is a gathering of people to spread awareness of sexual assault and rape. Many of those who attend have their own experience and openly share it with posters, poems and speeches.
“It was a very eye opening experience,” Hanley said. “I didn’t know what the turnout would be.”
Hanley had always been insecure and unsure of herself. The NOW group and the slut walk has reminded her how important it is to love oneself.
“I gain satisfaction by educating people,” Elinoff said.
The NOW group informs their members of sexual education, gender identity and Planned Parenthood. During the election, NOW was also speaking out on Amendment Six and the effect it would have on women’s health.
At the Natura’s raffle event, the raffle ticket numbers were pulled one by one. Someone cheered when he or she won the small bottle of lube from the prize list.
