Women at CAPA

The world is roughly 50/50 women and men, but the world is run by men, with them taking over a majority of spaces. Being a girl at CAPA is a unique experience; our school is not an all-girls school, but the ratio of men and women at CAPA is greatly uneven, currently at 78% to 22% on the World News Report. But how does this difference affect the women at CAPA? Female-led spaces encourage trust, sisterhood, and safety. But not everyone feels this way, there are many unique experiences to discuss when it comes to topics like these. 

“I think sometimes in our culture we perceive women to be more receptive to, like, gender-based conversations.” Says Alexis Citron, a creative Writing and English teacher at CAPA, “as a woman, students are sometimes more likely to come talk to me about anything gender-related.” Citron is not afraid to discuss feminist and female-oriented topics in the classroom, she is open to having hard conversations with her students, “they're much more likely to come to me and ask for what they need… it's an easier relationship probably whereas a cisgendered heteronormative male teacher might have to kind of encourage that a little ” she explains how her identity as a woman has a part in students being comfortable with her “I think there's some privilege in it as well.”  

“Honestly, it feels a lot more welcoming because it's so female-oriented.” Caia Farrell l, a 10th-grade creative writer, explains, “I think generally, like, spaces just feel a lot more calm or more welcoming because of the, there's a higher percentage of female students at this school.” She describes CAPA as a welcoming environment for women, students, and teachers alike. Another sophomore creative writer, Jae David, agrees, “I mean, since it's more for girls, I feel like this is a safe space for all girls to be, especially with all the female teachers, students, and the staff members.” 

CAPA, being majority female, shapes the experiences of women at this school in a way unlike other schools in Philadelphia. Female spaces can provide safety, comfort, and a sense of belonging, which can be so important for young people to experience. It’s important to harbor safety and comfort in places like CAPA, creating an environment that people look forward to being in.