Most women are familiar with the feeling of their opinions or emotions being ignored or diminished, and it’s not a good one. You are discouraged to speak up, because when you do your voice is drowned out by those who hold more power than yours.

In a field dominated by men, the Women in Politics club hopes to provide young women with a safe environment to discuss politics while spreading civic engagement throughout Staples. In joining the club, members are educated about current events, the government and how to effectively utilize their voice. In addition, those who wish to sharpen their public speaking skills have the opportunity through debates and reaching out to local politicians.

“I think this club is important as it aims to encourage and empower young women in our community,” Co-president Maia Gubitz ’24 said. “Regardless if they are interested in pursuing politics or not, being civically engaged, a confident and capable speaker and being well informed on current events are life skills that everyone should have. 

Gubitz and Phoebe DeOreo ’24, the two founders and presidents of the club, came up with the idea for this club after they realized many women do not feel comfortable speaking up about politics. 

 “I have found it was hard for me as a young woman at Staples to find my bearings when I started out,” Gubitz said. “And therefore wanted to create a safe space for any and every girl to learn and grow.”

 This allows women to talk about topics they’re passionate about and teaches those who are dissatisfied with the government how they can create change.

“I noticed that when talking about politics in history classes, I get very passionate and speak up. Because of this, I wanted to create a community where other girls like me have a space to speak freely,” DeOreo said. “As I got older I realized that even little changes make a big difference. Your opinion matters. If you’re frustrated with the government about something, speak up.”

According to Catalyst, the United States congress is composed of 26.5% women as of 2021, highlighting the need for more equal representation. By giving young women at Staples the opportunity to explore their passion for politics, a whole new generation of potential female leaders can emerge.

“It’s incredibly important that women are involved in politics so that we have multiple perspectives in the government,” DeOreo said. “If we only had one gender working in the government then some citizens in the United States would be underrepresented and it could lead to an increase of sexism in the country.” 

Last year, Gubitz won the best speaker award for Junior State of America, prompting her to reflect on how far she has come since joining JSA freshman year. However, when talking with DeOreo, they realized that many girls felt limited in their confidence and ability to talk about politics, leading them to create the Women in Politics club.

“It’s [politics] something I’ve always been interested in and always been passionate about and it’s something I plan to pursue in the future. I can’t quite trace it back to a singular moment; I found my voice and I like using it,” Gubitz said. “I like using it so much that I started a club with one of my best friends to try and get more people to use their voice.”