Northwestern’s feminists want to be known as more than just a group of x-chromosomes. In an effort to be more inclusive of the NU student population and destigmatize the “f-word,” Women’s Coalition has changed its name to the College Feminists.

“We chose to change the name to more accurately portray our mission statement and to be more inclusive,” said Lindsay Shadrick, Weinberg junior and College Feminists’ co-director.

This mission statement is “to address the intersection of gender, race, sexuality and culture by initiating positive change in all social spaces,” states the group’s Web site, which has yet to reflect the name change.

Shadrick’s co-director, Education junior Jessica Joslin, said that discussion about the name has been taking place among the Women’s Coalition executive board members for years.

“The name no longer reflected who we are as an organization,” Joslin said. “We aren’t an organization of women, but an organization of feminists. We want to have a more inclusive membership, but we’re still in the early stages of the change.”

Shadrick said she agreed with Joslin, but the point of the name change is not just to obtain male membership.

“We have had men who attend from time to time, but what we want is to get people who are more feminist oriented, regardless of sex,” Shadrick said.

Weinberg freshman Andrew Stern questioned whether the new name will really change the gender balance of the group.

“I think that the name change is definitely a good thing, but the stigma of a guy in a women’s group will always be there,” Stern said.

College Feminists hold meetings at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Women’s Center, 2000 Sheridan Rd.

Reach Laura Schocker at [email protected]