Beyond the Galentine’s Ball: Ines' Strategy for Cultivating Inclusivity and Safety for Women in Campus Life

Charlotte: It sounds like you have a really amazing support system in the committee. Are there any men in the committee?

Ines: In the committee, no. There used to be some in the actual society itself. It’s not a discrimination thing, they just genuinely don’t apply.  That’s okay, I understand a lot of men probably feel intimidated by that.

 Charlotte: It’s a safe space for women, and that’s what it is.

Ana: Let’s talk a bit more about the ball itself. Are there any special performances or guests we can look forward to at the ball? Maybe tell us a bit more about the complimentary drinks, food, the little gift bags you mentioned…

Ines: Sure, so we’ve got a VS DJ coming, I'm super excited for him to be there. See, boys can come! The security is funnily enough all female. We requested that on purpose, just in case anyone does have to be removed for any reason whatsoever, we definitely want it to be handled by women to ensure that comfort and safety and to ensure that any handling or one-on-one contact is just women on women.

Charlotte: Understood. Absolutely.

Ines: Our welcome drink is pink lemon Margarita. Of course, all of our welcome drinks can be virgin on demand, and all wristbands have under 18 displayed for those under 18.

Charlotte: Sounds amazing and sounds like a really safe space.

Ines: It hopefully will be exactly that.

Charlotte:  So, I know you're only a second year. Did you have a role last year in your first year or did you go to the Galantine’s ball last year?

Ines:  I actually didn’t.

Ana: So, this is your first time going? And you’re organizing it?

Ines: So, there’s actually a story about this. I bought a ticket  last year and none of my friends wanted to go and I felt so insecure about going on my own.

Charlotte: What made your friends not want to go?

Ines: I'm not actually sure, they just haven't heard about it, they weren't keen, and I was the only one who was actually in EmpowHer. I was too scared to go, and I refunded my ticket. So, this year we've actually hosted a ‘make a Galantine’s’ event for anyone who was feeling those same anxieties. It was held about a week and a half ago and we had a buddy match up form so you could meet someone to go with. One of our committee members, Lauren, will actually also be meeting people that are scared to go alone to the ball beforehand and they will all go together.

 Charlotte: I love that.

 Ana: That’s actually really sweet- so no one feels lonely.

 Charlotte: That must have jumped up the ticket sales as well because people will feel more comfortable to go.

 Ines: My hope is that no one didn’t buy a ticket because they were uncomfortable to go.

Ana: Do you feel the pressure with organising because you haven't been? Was that something that was on your mind when taking charge?

 Ines: I think yes and no. I know a lot about it. Having been on committee the whole year, you still hear a lot about it constantly. Galentine’s ball is one big event a year for the society. As well, the board doesn't have to be a copy and paste of last year. I've been saying that to my whole subcommittee: you don't have to copy everything that previous committees have implemented, in fact we really haven't. I mean, we have the same venue, but outside of that we've introduced quite a lot of new things.

 Charlotte: Yeah, I think it should be encouraged and is actually better. We found that, especially as third years, the balls get quite repetitive. It's the same event every single year and it stops us wanting to go. So, it's nice to know that Galentine’s will be different year-on-year.  

 Ana: This leads us to our next question; how do you envision the future of Galentine’s ball or are there any trends or ideas you’re excited to explore in the future?

Ines: I would love it to be bigger. But my main concern about it being bigger is losing that comfortability and the safe environment we have created. Having it in Lupos means it’s small and intimate, but we also have an issue of waitlists and not enough tickets. I don't know whether I want it on the scale of Welly ball or Christmas ball; it’s too much.

 Ana: So you prefer it being more intimate?

 Ines: I do like an intimate ball, current capacity is 200 guests and then 50 staff members. I’m happy with that but I’d love to cater it to 350-400 people. Ticket prices might be lower then.

 Lila: Would you want more men to attend and get involved? Is that something you guys discuss?

 Ines: My honest answer, I feel like there are a lot of societies that cater to men currently. I think that male centered spaces already exist, which is great, but I love that there is also a society catered around females at the forefront of everything. If men want to join, they’re more than welcome.

Charlotte: OK, can I ask you, does the ball have any personal significance to you?

 Ines: I needed it above anything else to be comfortable. I am not a shy person, I’m outgoing but I can also, like everyone else, get intimidated to go to such an event by myself. So the personal significance there is comfort above anything else, and safety. I don’t want any girl feeling insecure or like they can’t talk to anyone. There’s going to be a committee member wearing a pink boa, constantly available to everyone, we also have two sober reps, and my face is plastered on social media so they can always find me and talk to me.

 Lila: We recognized you straight away.

Ines: Yeah that's exactly what we need, we need someone to be able to pinpoint, like a point of contact if they need anything.

 Ana: Let’s talk a bit more about EmpowHer.

Charlotte: Could you remind us of what your role is again?

Ines: I am co-social coordinator. I run all of the events, pottery-painting, cocktail making classes, Halloween, all of that.

 Ana: Why did you decide to join EmpowHer?

 Ines: I think it’s the most welcoming society I have ever tried to join. As a fresher, I didn’t have the best experience. I found it quite difficult to make friends and to integrate myself. I was in Sally’s, without a roommate and that means it was unbearable. Everyone had a roommate, everyone was immediately paired up and I tried to branch out to societies then. EmpowHer was the instant match, someone comes up to you right away. It is not overwhelming, you are aware that you can speak to anyone without any judgment and without feeling insecure about the next thing that is going to come out of your mouth.

 Ana: So would you say that is the mission of such a society? To form a safe place for girls or is there another goal?

 Ines: Definitely an overarching mission to form a safe place for women. It's also a fun space. It's somewhere where you know you can come to the meeting or event and have a chat with friends, have a cocktail, virgin if you prefer.

Charlotte: Yeah, not me personally ahahah.

 Ines: Me either ahah. It’s a space for everyone to be themselves.