Got a question? Ask us here. For more urgent inquiries, email us at feministcomingoutday@gmail.com.
1. Why “Feminist Coming Out Day”? Isn’t the name of this event an appropriation of the LGBT movement?
The first Feminist Coming Out Day was named as such because it was a collaboration between the Queer Students & Allies and the Radcliffe Union of Students at Harvard University. While we recognize that mainstream feminism has not always been welcoming to queer people, we sought to change that by drawing attention to the two movements’ overlapping political goals. This year, we want to show that the face of feminism is not just White, cisgendered, straight, and American. It’s much more diverse than that! (For a longer explanation of the naming of “Feminist Coming Out Day”, you can read this entry on Lena’s blog.)
We recognize that even in this context, our use of the term “coming out” may be appropriative. Thus, we are considering a name change for 2012 and welcome suggestions on how to rename next year’s event in a way that still allows us to celebrate the intersectionality of the movement we hope to create. Email us at feministcomingoutday@gmail.com with your thoughts.
2. Is it necessary to be at Harvard to participate or did it just start there?
While the event started in 2010 at Harvard, we’re expanding it nationwide and helping student groups on other campuses plan their own Feminist Portrait Projects. Our campus and organizational partners are given group-specific pages and promoted through our social networks. Your portrait submissions, announcements, and event photos appear on both your group page and our main website, so that they can receive national publicity while still catering to local community audiences. Get in touch with us at feministcomingoutday@gmail.com for more information!
3. I can’t afford to donate any money. Can I still be involved?
Our primary motivation is not to raise money, but to raise awareness. We know that a lot of our supporters won’t be able to make financial contributions, but we still want them to participate by submitting their “portrait” to our online anthology. And if we exceed our funding goals this year, we may be able to offer more affordable merchandise in years to come!
4. Can I participate even if I’m not a woman?
Feminists come in all shapes, sizes, colors, sexual orientations, and yes, genders. We don’t care whether you were born a woman or whether you identify as one. The movement toward gender equality is one that benefits all people.
5. When will I get my t-shirt? How do I reserve my size? What about group discounts?
For all merchandise-related inquiries, please refer to our IndieGoGo donation page, where you can read our frequently asked questions and order t-shirts.
6. Why don’t you have shirts in different styles/more colors/larger sizes/etc.?
Because the start-up money for this campaign came from the private funds of our organizers, our budget only allowed us to make a single run of 1,000 shirts in the same style and color. (Our manufacturer only had shirts up to XXL available, and we are charged an additional fee for shirts in plus sizes.) If our campaign allows us to raise enough money to have funds leftover for 2012, we will try to expand merchandise offerings for next time!
