Letters to the Editor

OWL workshop is truly feminist

Here we go again . . . another criticism of the Organization of Women Leaders with absolutely no valid information to back it up. It is upsetting how willing people are to disparage OWL without actually speaking to an officer to learn the exact intentions of our events. Just to clarify: the "Pleasure Workshop" was NOT an instructional guide on how to masturbate, but rather would offer participants the opportunity to discuss sexual equality and the female sexual culture.

We realize that OWL members have very different backgrounds and thus, different views on feminism, but I find it hard to believe that any feminist would believe that a discussion promoting an end to the silencing of women's sexual desires is "anti-feminist." What if it was a discussion about the silencing of women's desires at the workplace? Would that be "anti-feminist?" This is the same discussion, only in a different context, and any true feminist would believe that women should be able to express their views freely and should expect that her views be respected. I am baffled at how Cason Crosby ('OWL's incoherent view . . . ,' Feb. 12, 2003) could believe that OWL is promoting "self-objectification" through this workshop, when one of the main topics of discussion would be the misrepresentation and inaccurate portrayal of women in the media and entertainment.

I wish people on this campus would learn to get their facts straight before criticizing a worthwhile and much-needed event (for which OWL received nearly 200 RSVPs) because maybe then they would realize that OWL is being consistent with our mission statement, that we are addressing our members interests, and that we do accept all views of feminism. In no way do we try to stifle people's views. I hope to see all those who RSVPed for the "Pleasure Workshop" at the rescheduled event, which will take place the first week in March. Jessica Brondo '04 President of OWL