Empowering women, one step at a time: here’s the inside of the inspiring world of a women’s rights club that is fighting for gender equality and breaking down gender barriers. The Women’s Rights Initiative (WRI) club is relatively new here at school. While it has only been established for a few years though, it has already done so much for the school community.
The club began in the spring of 2022 after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Founder Kailtyn Fado’s goal was to provide a safe space for women to talk about their feelings and to provide a forum for discussion to create equality with women’s rights in the school and Arlington community. Zoe Moret is an avid member of the club and helped Fado create it in her sophomore year.
“A bunch of my friends and I were becoming increasingly concerned with how women’s rights were being treated both through the government and in our school, so we created it to have that voice,” Moret said. “I am one of the original members and have therefore been going for about three years now.
The club works to create equal opportunities for women and spread awareness to some of the issues women have to deal with in our current world. Ms. Candice Barbara is the teacher sponsor for the WRI club, which is trying to make changes in the Arlington Public School’s (APS) curriculum.
“We put up informational posters about reproductive rights and how we are all being impacted by modern legislation,” Ms. Barbara said. “We would put up maps highlighting states allowing legal access to abortion and those who didn’t. It was eye-opening to see how much of the country was red, and did not have safe or legal abortion access.”
WRI works hard to make the lives of women in the community easier. For example, they provide Title IX support for all students in the school. Through this, they work to bridge the gap between female athletes and athletic clubs at school to ensure women’s sports get the same amount of attention. The club members provided tampons and pads in the women’s restrooms until APS put machines in the bathrooms. They also try to be more understanding of the issues women in the community face.
“We have a period cramp simulator,” Ms. Barbara said. “Every few weeks, we bring it out for students who don’t experience periods. We do this so they can understand what their peers with female anatomy have to go through while having a test or during gym. It’s very interesting to see their reactions.”
The club is working towards changing sex education for a better understanding of male and female anatomy and complications. The club is meeting with APS school board members and legislators to influence change in the curriculum and have more support for women in the curriculum itself.
“I love the actual activism things we do. Participating in events like marches in DC probably hold[s] my favorite memories,” Moret said.
Ava Comstock is a senior who joined the club after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She encourages more students joining the club as many current members will be graduating this year.
“We just really want people to be aware of a lot of the decisions being made by our current leaders and the effects they are having on women’s rights and health,” Comstock said.
While this club intended to make serious changes for both the school and the Arlington community, it is also a fun place to spend your Wednesday afternoons.
“For the holiday bazaar last year, we made ornaments we called ‘cuteries,’ like ovaries with bows and women’s sayings on them,” Ms. Barbara said. “Getting creative in that form was so fun; it was cool to see them in that way.”
There are many ways to join their efforts to further gender equality. During October, which is breast cancer awareness month, they do bake sales in affiliation with the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.
“We are working to continue the club in the future years by teaching the next wave of sophomores and juniors on how the club is working and giving them leadership roles,” Moret said. “We are fully planning to continue the fight for women’s rights both within the school community and the greater Arlington [area] in future years.”
They meet every Wednesday in Ms. Barbara’s room (2228) and new members are always welcomed. You can join at any point throughout the year, so all you need to do is show up.
“The club is not closed to just girls; it is open to all members. Get involved by getting excited and finding out ways to help women’s rights to talk about world happenings. So come say something, come and speak your mind,” Ms. Barbara said.
