Op-Ed: I Wrote the Article

Celia Whitcomb

Photo taken by Christine Lee Photography

Let me introduce myself…

My name is Celia Whitcomb. I am the class president of the first co-ed undergraduate Class of 2017. I am the Academic Affairs Chairperson on WCGA. I am a Resident Assistant. I ride and am treasurer for two wonderful equestrian teams. I am a Wilson Scholar student and I recently joined The Wilson Billboard student newspaper.

I wrote the article about the Wilson Charter, not a ghost writer. Look me up. I exist and will own up to these words every time. I am from Massachusetts where I learned to speak truthfully, respect others, and not to judge. I learned that “Kah-keys” means car keys, and that hate takes too much effort. I learned to “kill them with kindness” because you’ll end up with allies instead of enemies.

To the women who felt I was attacking them: I apologize for making you feel hurt as I have no hatred directed towards you. On the contrary, I have the utmost respect for those who came before me, but I will not stand for women who do not know me attack my character. I will not apologize for the words that I wrote. This is a student-run newspaper and I write for the students. I write the truth.

 I spent a lot of time on that article, making sure that I remained impartial. You have bumped me off the private WWW Facebook page, but I still see it. I have read the words that have been written before about Wilson students and staff. I have talked to other students and witnessed their emotions towards a small group of alumnae. I understand the frustration and anger towards some of our college’s decisions, but the decisions have been made. There is no changing that.

I look at it as a pro-women’s college that allows men to attend. Our men are still required to take women’s history and go through the same liberal arts curriculum as myself.

I look at it as a gain. Imagine a world where more people, not just women, were feminists? Where people care about equal rights for everyone, the wage gap no longer exists, and the ratio of women to men in the work place is one to one.

The definition of feminism is not the burning of bras and hating men. It is defined as equal rights for everyone from those who identify as female to those who identify as male. I am proud to see this college promote a feminist ideal where the struggle of women is not forgotten, those who graduate are educated on the struggles of everyone, and seek that “more perfect union.”

I write for the Billboard, and I am damn proud too.