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Ensuring inclusivity: Learning fundraising, equal settings
The decision to charge for admission may reflect the fact that the organizers, like many of us in the feminist movement, have day jobs and many other responsibilities and are already so overwhelmed — that it is extremely difficult to balance our mental health with the organization’s sustainability and idealism.
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Activists from various women's organizations took action at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Dec. 1. They invited the community to reject all forms of violence against women. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
A recent debate on Twitter highlighted inclusivity in the feminist movement by discussing fundraising, participation and privileges.
The debate started with the question of whether a recent event — the Feminist Festival (FemFest) in Jakarta, organized by Perkumpulan Lintas Feminis Jakarta — could be inclusive despite charging admission fees. While it is unfair to assume or expect that the organizers could and should fund the event themselves, the organizers and their supporters shouldn’t dismiss ways to raise funds before the event to make it more widely accessible.
The decision to charge for admission may reflect the fact that the organizers, like many of us in the feminist movement, have day jobs and many other responsibilities and are already so overwhelmed — that it is extremely difficult to balance our mental health with the organization’s sustainability and idealism.
But if inclusivity is indeed a priority, the organizers must find ways to fund their events so that they become accessible to as many people as possible. Fundraising shouldn’t be something undertaken on top of event-organizing; it should be part of the strategic plan for holding the event in the first place.
The event’s budget and fundraising goals must meet all associated costs, including venue, vendors, transportation, accessibility (including translators and facilities for the disabled), contingency plans and organizers’ fees.
This way, we can compensate for our own work and make our events more accessible, if not entirely inclusive.
Providing contingencies can make more vulnerable individuals feel more comfortable about participating — for example, in relevant events provide psychological first-aid officers, or cars to transport the most vulnerable participants, such as individuals of sexual/gender minorities, to a safe location in case of attacks from hard-line groups.
