Over the course of three days last week, women of Oxford and Brookes have gathered together for the annual Oxford Women Speak Out Campaign that launched in 2012 at Oxford and in 2017 at Brookes, and merged together as of this year. It is organised by Student Life, a society that exists to promote the social and spiritual well-being of students of Oxford and Brookes university.
The campaign's goals are simple: to bring women together and to encourage, empower, elevate and celebrate each other. It does so by asking women a simple question: "what would be your message to other women for International Women's Day?" and inviting them to respond by sharing this message by writing it on their bodies for a photo shoot. All photos will then be displayed in an exhibition at All Bar One (124 High Street OX1 4DF) on Monday 5th March and are being released on our Facebook page. This year, after hearing so many powerful stories during the photo shoots, we've decided to start sharing some the women's stories behind their message daily on our Instagram page.
The Women Speak Out has expanded over the years, within and outside Oxford, and this year we've had the privilege to have over 250 women coming along to the 12 photo shoots taking place across Oxford colleges and Brookes university. Above all, the singularity of Oxford Women Speak Out lies in the positive atmosphere that emanates from women, friends and strangers, gathering together to share their stories, to weep, to celebrate. The campaign gives a rare opportunity to acknowledge one another and just be together... even just for the time of a photo shoot.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/oxfordspeakout/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oxfordwomenspeakout/
We are also still collecting funds towards this year's campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/oxford-women-speak-out