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Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. What is the Women’s Center mission?
Statement of Philosophy The Women’s Center exists to serve women* to be a supportive and protected environment to which any woman can come to learn about herself as a woman (her rights, her body, her ancestral past, her sexuality, anything of interest to her), to talk to other women in order to get in touch with a common experience, a common language. As a woman has new questions about her place in the larger society- how to deal with prejudice and discrimination, how to catalyze change, how to analyze the bureaucratic and institutional structures she must operate in, the Women’s Center provides the resources to help her answer these questions for herself. The programming, philosophy, and politics of the Women’s Center are organized around these central aims, and all of them are permeated with a deep respect for the people we serve.
Q. Are men allowed in the Women's Center?Yes, everyone is welcome at the MU Women's Center. Men are welcomed and encouraged to attend any of our programs and meetings, work in our Center, and utilize our extensive resources. We have a men's outreach program called MARS (Men Against Relationship and Sexual Violence) which is open to anyone interested in men’s issues related to sexual violence. To learn more, call the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention (RSVP) Center at (573) 882-6638 or the Women’s Center at (573) 882-6621. Q. Is this a women's health clinic and do you have any reproductive health services?The Women's Center does not offer any medical services. However, if you are an MU student, you can visit the Student Health Center for these services and more. If you are concerned about privacy, please know that your bill will not list specific services. Their number is (573) 882-7481. You may also contact Planned Parenthood for a variety of family planning services offered on a sliding scale for uninsured and under-insured community members. Their number is (573) 443-0427. |
The Women’s Center subscribes to a feminist philosophy. We believe in the social, political and personal equality of the sexes, and that we cannot make changes toward equality until we understand the inequalities and the mechanism used to maintain these inequalities. We understand that women are not in this struggle alone, and work to create an atmosphere where men and women can relate in positive, healthy ways, modeling that for their peers and for society.
We are working for free, informed choice. We believe that we all have the right to choose what we will become: the right to self-determination. The Women’s Center provides learning opportunities for individuals to discover their options and to develop skills for effective decision-making and implementation. 
* We serve women, men, and transgender individuals. Women’s Centers historically
grew out of a need for women to have spaces and services that were previously
unavailable.University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211