I’ve recently come out as a lover of pop music. When I’m home, I listen to Top 40 radio a lot. When I go out, I like dancing hard to pop (Look, I love folk punk breakdowns and Neutral Milk Hotel jam sessions just as much as the next Westchester hipster, but what can I say?). And I want everyone to know that I think everything David Guetta touches turns to gold. David Guetta is a pop genius. That being said! I also want to point out that the following two songs are more similar than they are different:

I know, right? That’s so many years. I feel like there should be riots in the streets today to celebrate this occasion – or at least big events going on on college campuses.

But there’s not. At least not here at Syracuse. (None that I’ve heard of? And I think I would’ve heard).

And I feel a little bit responsible, in a way, because I’ve become some kind of feminist organizer on this campus in the past few years. I’m the president of a sex-positive club, and the editor-in-chief of a feminist magazine. We should’ve done something! Something big! We should’ve made this the focus of the entire year to get people involved and make people see!

But we didn’t. Because we’re busy. And I want to take a minute to think about all the amazing feminist action on this campus in the past few years to remind myself how awesome it is here. Because although this day is important and monumental and historical, it’s a day. And I don’t have time today. So I’ll celebrate International Women’s Day by looking back and looking forward, instead. I guess that’ll do.

• • Last semester, Kate Bornstein came and spoke here, presented by SASSE - Students Advocating Sexual Safety and Empowerment. It was the first time SASSE hosted an event like this in the fall, and it was a huge success. Kate basically blew my mind. I also went thrifting with her.
• • SASSE produced the 10th annual production of the Vagina Monologues. This year, we went further than ever before – aside from adding a faculty/staff cast, we implemented the use of sign language interpreters and counseling support staff. We used our programazine as a way to share these ideas and also to express our critiques of the production while also paying homage to it and putting on an amazing show.
• • Medusa Magazine also had a first event this year – we hosted Feministing.com last week. I was the catalyst behind this event, and with the help of a ton of other students and organizations, it finally happened, and it was really great. It got a pretty good turnout and I think everyone enjoyed it. All my feminist nerdy friends in one room!
• • Oh yeah, and Medusa Magazine is distributing it’s 4th issue today. 4! We’ve come a really long way and I’m excited to keep on producing and see where we’re headed. It’s such an honor to work on something so new and fresh and special. Especially because it turns out we’ve got some competition. Our launch party is tomorrow night, too.
• • The LGBT Center hosted Andrea Gibson just a few days ago, which reaffirmed and bolstered my own feminisms with her words. She really amazed me and moved me.
• • SASSE is also planning trips to Seneca Falls and the Matilda Joslyn Gage House – things we’ve always talked about but never got around to doing. I’m excited to check out these historical sights while I’m still here in CNY, and also to cite them in a larger dialogue about who gets left out of history, and why.
• • This is a small one, but SASSE got tshirts this year! Getting our name out there!
• • SASSE, AMI and Sex Esteem had the first ever collaboration meeting this year. It’s the first step toward really amazing things – working together, planning events together, and making huge waves on this campus.

I know there’s more – remind me in the comments!

I’ll be celebrating International Women’s Day by being as busy as ever – today I’m distributing Medusa, tabling for Medusa, ringing the chimes, sorting out the funds from the Vagina Monologues and sponsoring Take Back The Night, and seeing an orchestra concert. Oh yeah, and schoolwork too. And this weekend I’m going to Las Vegas to visit my baby half sister, whom I adore. And what better way to celebrate this milestone than by being a feminist role model to my little baby?