To become aware of gender oppression:

 

One of the purposes of CR is to become aware of the societal pressures that oppress us under patriarchy.

 

To break down barriers:

 

We often feel competitive with each other or isolated from others, often confined by capitalistic standards that break down community (i.e. long work hours, degrading work and family structures based in power and control, sexual and gender harassment, and the silencing of non-normative and/or stigmatized experiences, etc.).

 

It is another purpose of CR to break down these barriers by talking about what is happening in our lives.

 

To build a sense of pride:

 

A third purpose of CR is to develop a sense of pride in who we are through identification with others who have similar experiences or coming to recognize and respect others’ experiences which are different from our own.

 

To facilitate political action:

 

Another purpose of CR is to help guide us into action to do what is necessary to change our society.

 

To understand that the personal is political:

 

We often interpret our experiences through a personal lens, seeing our experiences as something particular to our situation. CR allows us to see that what seems like personal drama in our lives isn't so much personal as it is political. It allows for us to see that our lives are operating under patriarchy, a systemic problem (not a personal, individualistic problem).

 

To provide a safe space to talk about what it is to be a feminine subject under patriarchy:

 

We strive to provide a safe place where we can freely and openly discuss femininity, what preoccupies us, what drives us, what hurts us, and how to move towards liberation.