Stationed behind a table of popular treats like Halloween-themed cookies, the Gender Equality Club hosted a bake sale outside of the STEM wing on Wednesday, Oct. 4, with the intent of raising money for Women’s Health Services, a reproductive care center in Coolidge Corner. In total, they earned over $100.

Junior Gianna Gravina, one of the club’s three co-presidents, said due to the controversial response towards the work of Women’s Health Services, raising money was crucial.

“Women’s Health Services is one of the most important locations in the town, as it services all women, which is why it’s important that we maintain and fund it,” Gravina said. “It provides birth control and abortion services to those with uteri and vaginas, yet it’s such a controversial space; if you walk by, you’ll encounter protesters and others trying to talk to you. By keeping it funded, we can help make it safer for all.”

Junior and the club’s co-president Jolie Revis said the notable division surrounding the issue of abortion today, coupled with recent developments like the overturning of Roe and attempted abortion bans in several states gave their bake sale a sense of added urgency.

“The issue of abortion has always been political, but especially right now, as access is decreasing across the country. Helping to fund pro-choice organizations and clinics has become especially important,” Revis said.

The bake sale is just one of the outreach strategies utilized by the club—a chapter of the United Nations Foundation initiative Girl Up—to promote gender equality and women’s rights. These include working with the high school’s Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) coalition to educate middle schoolers about such issues, as well as organizing a period product drive for Rosie’s Place, a homeless shelter for women in Boston.

Additionally, according to senior and co-president Jacquelyn Dupre, one of the club’s primary tools for spreading their message is discourse.

“We are always working to provide an environment where people feel safe discussing the challenging and uncomfortable questions,” Dupre said. “After all, once people find their voices, that’s when we can make true change.”