Local groups will convene in downtown Raleigh to give the community an opportunity to take a stand against negative gender ideology at the Women’s Fightback Conference Saturday, November 4.

“We have a lot of college students and even local high school students coming together with community members and civil organizations,” said Tricia McTague, a doctoral student in sociology and conference organizer.

Elena Everett, a program leader for the Institute for Southern Studies and an NCSU alumna, said she and other members of Fight Imperialism — Stand Together, wanted to create a conference to talk about how groups in society organize around gender.

According to McTague the organizers have been trying to be mindful of balance. She said their goal has been to acquire for the event a broad representation of groups in the aspects of race, class and gender so all three can be considered together.

Some of the groups attending the conference are the NCSU sociology graduate students, Southerners for Economic Justice, UNC-CH Feminist Students United, N.C. Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and MARC (Men Against Rape Culture).

According to planners, throughout the day groups will present workshops on various social issues. They will focus on how gender biases cause problems, and they will be presenting potential solutions.

One NCSU housekeeper, Evelyn Hill, will be presenting a workshop entitled “Women in the Workplace and Labor Movement.”

“Bosses use gender just like they use race to divide and manipulate workers on common issues,” said Dante Strobino, a graduate student in electrical engineering and a co-founder of the Student Workers Association. “People take race and gender roles for granted, but those who haven’t thought about these issues as gendered will come to hear these people speak and say, ‘Wow’.”

Everett said she is hoping the conference will be used as a launching pad for formulating more ideas and groups and creating a network within the community.

“This is a conference for people seeking a better world, whatever your gender or background may be,” Everett said.

Leaders of the Women’s Fightback Conference said they welcome all people to come and participate, asking that people register online beforehand if possible.

“The conference would be a great place to start learning about the different experiences people have in our own community,” McTague said. “It’s kind of a gender/social issues 101; a safe place where people can learn to put themselves in other people’s shoes.”