ESSO FEATURE: GAL PALS
On every other Tuesday night, in the basement of Phillips Church, a group of girls from the Academy meet up with special-needs women from the local community. Sometimes, they bake cookies together or play with clay. Other times, they talk about their favorite bands or vacation plans. Since the same girls and women come to each meeting, the friendships formed are strong. Often these bonds last over four years, and sometimes, even after graduation.
Along with the activities, there’s also a great sense of comfort the women have with each other, and empowerment that comes with that. Senior Sarah Brown, one of the co-heads of Gal Pals, remarked on the feminist aspect of the club, saying that it provides an environment for women to help other women. “We live in a community where often women’s voices don’t get to stand out as being powerful,” said Brown. “Being in a community that’s all female is this incredible opportunity [for us to] be confident together.” She brought up an example of when a shy member of the Gal Pal community volunteered to sing during a meeting when the co-heads had started a round of karaoke, and the quiet girl finally had the courage to sing her heart out. Senior Juni Terry, the other co-head of Gal Pals, joined Sarah in reminiscing about this memorable moment, saying: “it was really nice to see that the club I was running had really made a difference and given this girl a safe space where she felt confident enough to get up and sing.” Both Brown and Terry attributed this newfound courage to the welcoming environment.
Members of Gal Pals also embrace the opportunity to bond with people with whom one may think they have nothing in common. Lower Grace Gray, a member of the club, said. “The women have inspired me to be more thankful for the great things we have in our life, and they’ve shown me how important it is to connect with someone based off of their character rather than their appearance or social differences.” Gray said that, after attending Gal Pals, she realized just how strong human connections could be. “It really showed me and shows everyone how close people are, and how you can make friends with anyone, and how human connections are so powerful,” Brown said, reflecting on her three years in the club.
Therefore, if you ever find yourself on a Tuesday night craving a safe and accepting space, go to the basement of Phillips Church! Gal Pals members will accept you into their community with open arms, and give you a place to forget the stresses of Exeter while making new friends.