With the new feminist club at Carlsbad High, young ladies hope to bring awareness to the reality of current gender reality issues and change the way society views and treats women.

Previous students tried to establish a club for feminists , but failed to do so. However, senior Lane Larson was determined.

“I created this club because I really felt there was a need for it and it was kind of a long time coming,” Larson said. “There were a lot of people who were going to start the club, but it kind of fell through so I ended up doing it. I figured it was my senior year and I wanted to do something big.”

This club may be new, but the first meeting was a success. The students who attended all wanted their voice to be heard.

“At the first meeting, everyone had so much to say,” supervisor Mrs. Padilla said. “It was all about girls, and what affects girls and women in today’s society. How do we view women? How does society view women? How do other students view each other? It was really interesting what both boys and girls had to say about the gender issues on campus.”

Rather than just starting a club dealing with average high school interests, this new club discusses real topics and prevalent issues happening in the world outside of CHS.

“Some other clubs are more focused on hobbies, while this one is social activism and social advocacy,” Larson said. “There are some other clubs similar to this one, but they don’t focus on the same social topics.”

With this being such a controversial, and sometimes touchy topic, the development of this club was a necessity at CHS.

“Feminism is not just a trend, its something we need to address,” supervisor Mrs. Padilla said. “It is time that we as a campus turn to viewing women rights. We need to evaluate what it means to be a woman, or what it means to be different.”

Larson and other club members hope to educate young women about the wrongs and rights of society.

“I support this club because it is something I care a lot about and I think a lot of people think we live in an opposed sexist world but were not,” Larson said. “There are a lot of everyday occurrences that women do not think of as sexism. I want to raise awareness, and look more critically at our day to day lives that are considered normal that should not be.”

In future years, the new club hopes to take things off campus to make a change in society’s view on women.

“I would really love to do a project that helps an organization that supports women or do something to give back to the community,” Larson said. “I really want it to go far and make a difference for the students on campus.”

Larson may be a supporter of this social topic, but she also really wants to help those around her gain confidence to succeed in society.

“I hope to encourage girls on campus to speak their mind,” Larson said. “If they want to start something they can, and just knowing their voice and opinions are being heard. I hope it inspires people to do things they did not think they could do before due to society’s ‘rules’.”

Just like other clubs on campus, the feminist club hopes to be apart of CHS for many generations to come.

“This club will definitely be on campus for many years to come,” Larson said. “I already have people who want to be officers for it and there are people I know I can trust to carry it through oncoming years.”

This club wishes to make a lasting impression on campus and inspire young women.

“I really hope this club makes a statement for what power women and girls have,” Mrs. Padilla said.  “We need to empower ourselves and empower each other. As we go out into the world, women need to stay grounded to who they are when it comes to college or the workplace.”