Feminism and prospective LVC students: That Went Over like Abgail Adams Asking Her Husband to "Remember the Women."

So, today Teddi and I set up a table at LVC Live in hopes to recruit some incoming Freshmen to feminism.
*Smile*
It was more like preying on innocent young high school students with their parents in toe. The bribery began before they even walked in the Arnold Sports Center door, for they were given a little card for each table to sign off on and when it was all full they were entered into a $50 college bookstore certificate--yeah, these kids had a lot to learn...the bookstore isn't all the grand.

Well, besides Freedom Rings, I'm pretty sure the F-word was the most uncomfortable table at the event. Personally, I loved our table. It was stationed on the upper level of the gym where it found itself sharing a table with the Chem Club... maybe LVC Live planners thought we had a lot in common, certainly more than we do with Freedom rings who was on the opposite side of the gym.

Our table displayed ample about of feminist lit. ie. The Beauty Myth, The Feminist Mystique, The F-word, Bitch (just to name a few), there was a picture frame of the Monologues entitled "Vagina Cast." But my most favorite was the tee shirt play strategically on the wall with the claim "I <3 Feminist Men" (well, because really I do!). Oh, and we had a email sign up sheet and fliers, too.

Some would pass by glancing at our table then quickly return to looking down at the feet. Others would detour around us completely by swerving through the bleacher-seat obstacle course, which was a breeze compared to saying "hello" to the crazy feminists.

Oh, and then there were the people who engaged in conversation for...the fun of torturing us.
These were our favorites.

Mother to son: I bet you can meet a lot of girls there, just not ones who will do your laundry.

A father points to our tee shirt on the wall: I love feminist men. I work at F&M with the environmental program, I always wanted to print a tee shirt that says: My mother recycles. And then walked away.

A girl and her mother listening to our spiel, Girl to us: oh, you want me to sign your list.
Girl to mother: Can I sign it?
Goes signs the list and walks away.
We look and it says Jordan, no last name, no email address.
Jimmy: What does she want us to do, facebook stalk her.

A girl, father and mother visit our table. Hi, we're the feminist club on...
Obnoxious Father to Teddi: What's your name?
Teddi: Teddi.
Obnoxious Father: Like Teddi Roosevelt.
Obnoxious Father turns to Chem Club Dude: Did you know the president with the name Teddi?
Chem Club Dude: No.
Obnoxious Father to Chem Club Dude: What's his last name?
Chem Club Dude: Roosevelt.

Some time later, Obnoxious Father to Teddi: Hey, can you sign our box?
Teddi: Okay
Teddi to Mother (trying to one last time to sell the f-word just one more time): Would you like a newsletter?
Mother: Okay
Obnoxious Father to Mother: Don't take that, you can't read.

Mother to son: Oh, look you'll fit right in.

To pass the time, Teddi and I thought up some schemes to raise recruitment:

1. Signing fake names to the email list to look like people signed up already in case they were nervous about it. Teddi thought its was very psychological.
2. Putting out my own stash of peach rings on the table for the good of the club. Chem clubs cookies seemed to work well.
3. Having our newsletters already in hand to pass out on the fly.
4. If a person looks at our table for more than 10 seconds--Get Them!
5. Tell them we aren't that radical.
6. Stop saying "Vagina" when saying Vagina Monologues.
7. Since no one was visiting on the top level and all on the floor--if they won't come to us, we'll take the F-word to them.
8. If feminism isn't their thing, talk to them about: where they are from, their major, other college choices, or anything else that would make them like us. Teddi and I could so be Valley Ambassadors.
9. If all else fails, "borrow" from LVEP's growing list
10. Randomly place our newsletter on other organizations' tables.

The best part of the day was that our truest interest came from the Asian boy from NJ asking me how we felt about men and women's equality. And he'll probably end up going to E-town.