Feminist Internship Looking to Build Community that Fights Heterosexism

A feminist internship program is accepting recruits to “to build a community that acknowledges and supports resistance to racism, classism, sexism, ableism and heterosexism.”

The Women’s Resource Center at the University of Arizona (UA) is an on-campus student center that provides programming, education, internships, and resources to the student community. Its mission is to serve as a hub for, “programming, collaborations, and advocacy on issues of gender equity, feminism, and masculinity.”

Among the services the WRC provides is an internship with FORCE: Feminists Organized to Resist, Create, and Empower.

According to the internship application, FORCE considers itself to be a part of a, “broader social movement that dismantles oppressive structures and unifies people.” FORCE achieves this through weekly meetings, hosting events, and working in collaboration with other on-campus groups such as Cultural Centers, LGBTQ Affairs, and Pride Alliance.

FORCE is also responsible for hosting the annual SlutWalk. The SlutWalk is a protest movement that aims to end rape culture and slut shaming originating in Toronto in 2011 after a Toronto police officer suggested women should, “Avoid dressing like sluts.”

Last year’s protesters at the FORCE hosted event included a wide range of attendees of various races, genders, and ages, including children. An attendee stated that she brought her children to teach them that, “No means no,” and that their choice of clothing will not have an impact on their safety.

While this internship is unpaid, it does not come without a cost.

Students looking to pursue this internship for academic credit must pay for internship credit at the same rate as other courses, according to the Internship Policies and Guidelines of UA.

The FORCE internship offers three credits, which would come to about $2629.05 for in-state students or $4,588.05 for non-resident students, based on the current rates for tuition. However, students may waive the cost by opting for the non-credit option when applying for the internship.