The GEM’s flagship event is a chance to celebrate intersectional feminism, community, and education
Photo courtesy of Fernanda Solorza.
The upcoming Feminist Empowerment Expo (FEM-EXPO) is a week-long celebration of resilience that features workshops, vendors, panels, art, and movies, hosted by UVic’s Gender Empowerment Centre (GEM).
The events will take place during the week of March 9–13 in the Student Union Building (SUB).
FEM-EXPO is the GEM’s largest annual event of the year, bringing people together to talk about intersectional feminism and provide education for students at UVic and the greater Victoria community.
GEM is one of the five UVSS advocacy groups. They focus on the needs of self-identified women, transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals.
“We provide free menstrual supplies, safer sex supplies, as well as education, events, [and] support,” Fernanda Solorza, the GEM’s outreach and communications coordinator, said in an interview with the Martlet.
FEM-EXPO aligns with International Women’s Day, which takes place on March 8.
The itinerary for the week is full, and meticulously planned. Every event is free to attend with the exception of the Groovefest, a variety show on March 13 from 7:00–10:00 p.m., featuring drag, comedy, and burlesque performances.
Also featured at FEM-EXPO are the lək̓ʷəŋən traditional dancers, who will either be in Vertigo or the SUB’s courtyard, depending on the weather, on March 9 from 10:00–10:30 a.m., and “The Hands That Build Tomorrow,” an art exhibit showcasing intersectional feminist art on March 11 and 12 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Michèle Pujol Room.
Additionally, FEM-EXPO features a market and community table fair, which will take place at the same time as the exhibit, also in the Michèle Pujol Room.
FEM-EXPO also features 14 educational events happening throughout the week, including a consent, care, and disability workshop on March 9 from 5:00–6:30 p.m. in Vertigo, co-hosted with the Society for Students with a Disability (SSD); an 18+ risk literacy for kinksters workshop on March 10 from 12:00–1:00 p.m. in the SUB upper lounge; and an introduction to hormone therapy panel in collaboration with the UVic Pride Collective on March. 11 from 3:00–5:00 p.m., also in the SUB upper lounge.
Some may remember the SEXPO, an event run by GEM since 2022. GEM decided to change both the name and focus of the event in 2025, Solorza said, because it previously only talked about sexuality. Solorza said the advocacy group wanted to broaden the event’s reach.
She added that, while the original SEXPO event was successful, fun, and inspired other schools to have their own SEXPO, its narrow focus created a challenge for GEM, as campus community members did not fully understand the event’s purpose.
According to Solorza, some students came away from SEXPO under the impression that GEM was only focused on sexuality, and that community members who weren’t “super sex positive” felt uncomfortable coming into their space.
“The existence of GEM is to be a strong, intersectional feminist voice on campus … our four core values are intersectional feminism, bodily autonomy, sex positivity, and collective liberation. And with those four values, the only value that we were really promoting was sex positivity,” she said.
After a year of deliberation within GEM, they changed the event to FEM-EXPO.
The FEM-EXPO is planned by its very own committee, which meets every Thursday to address anything that needs to be done to make the event a success, Solorza said. She also told the Martlet there are many ways to get involved, and that anyone can volunteer.
Solorza said GEM is currently seeking volunteers to help with greeting people and handling tickets during the event. However, for those who aren’t able or don’t want to volunteer, showing up and attending the events is another great way to support FEM-EXPO.
“We want everyone to enjoy this event and to feel welcome and part of the community. We want to uplift all of our voices, because none of us are free until everyone is free,” Solorza said.
