According to the World Health Organization, nearly 1 in 3 women have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
The Feminists in Action club works to promote feminist awareness and activism on LSU’s campus and in the greater Baton Rouge area. President and senior psychology major Lilli Sims started off as a member of the club back in 2022. During her freshman year, Sims stumbled across the club on TigerLink.
“I was new to the area, and I wanted to make friends and join a club or an organization that had like-minded people such as myself,” Sims said. “And so I went on TigerLink and I found Feminists in Action. I found out that they had a meeting on Thursday in the Women’s Center. I showed up, and I just fell in love.”
The executive board at the time acknowledged Sims’ participation, and she was offered the position of Planned Parenthood chair. Sims was the Planned Parenthood chair for three semesters until April of 2024 when she was elected as the president.
The club plans educational events, programs and meetings that bring together students of all backgrounds. Together, members of the club get involved with women’s rights issues and gender related issues as a whole.
“Meetings range in variety,” Sims said. “We have educational themed meetings, so we’ll talk about sexual health education; we’ve done presentations about women in the arts, like the riot grrrl movement from the 80s and 90s; we’ll do LGBTQ+ history; we’ll do period education, and other things like that.”
They also host more lighthearted meetings. In the past, they have held PowerPoint nights and arts and craft nights.
Feminists in Action also has service-oriented meetings where members will make EC Kits and pass out emergency contraception. These kits include information cards from organizations that women can use as a resource if they need help.
“My favorite event that we do is an event in April called Take Back the Night,” Sims said. “It is in April because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.”
The event works to raise awareness about domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking. The goal is to support and uplift survivors of interpersonal violence. Food and music are provided alongside a resource fair, and various on- and off-campus organizations participate. The club also gives a safe space to survivors of interpersonal violence to speak out at the event.
This year’s Take Back the Night will be on April 16 from 6-8:30 p.m. FIA club members are currently planning on having the event at the LSU Memorial Tower. More details closer to the event will be shared on FIA’s Instagram.
Another large initiative for the Feminists in Action club is its emergency contraception distribution system. Since February 2024, the team has provided the morning-after pill free of charge to students, no questions asked. FIA has distributed over 2,500 units of emergency contraceptives.
Emergency contraceptives are distributed at biweekly table sits in Free Speech Alley on Mondays from noon to 2 p.m. FIA also distributes contraceptives before club meetings in the Women’s Center on Mondays from 9-10:15 a.m. and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m.
“The Women’s Center as a department does not provide EC,” Sims said. “They are generous to allow us to use the space … to disperse this resource.”
The club hosts general body meetings every Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Women’s Center.
