This week, between 11:30 AM and 1 PM, regular patrons of The Little Pub (a time commonly known as “Pub Lunch”) might have noticed an unfamiliar dynamic. Such a divergence from the Pub’s expected lunchtime normalcy is the result of a Facebook group called “PUB POWER”; the group has set a goal of disrupting the typical demographic makeup of the space.

According to the group’s description, PUB POWER aims to “have as many women possible attend pub lunch in order to dismantle [the] hegemony and reclaim the space as open to all.” They add, “Historically, white, upper class, able-bodied males have dominated and claimed many ‘public spaces’ as their own. Here, at Hamilton College, the Little Pub Lunch serves as a prime example of a space occupied solely by men.”

Although the group acknowledges that any detrimental actions or tendencies of the white, upper class, and able-bodied men who tend to frequent Pub Lunch may be “unintentional”, the group asserts that their dominance over the space “makes women, alongside other LGBTQIA+ and POC members of our community feel inferior, unwelcomed, and outnumbered.”

According to screenshots obtained by

The Spectator

, the Facebook group appears to have an active following. Posts encouraging members to “smash the patriarchy” achieved upwards of 20 reactions, while group organizers, Irina Rojas ’18 and Ysabel Coss ’18, used the forum to share galvanizing messages of support after a “strong” first day turnout.

Ashley Huntington ’20, an active member of PUB POWER, says that the Facebook group currently has 489 members and that it is “gaining momentum” and “the word is spreading” to women around campus. She hopes that turnout continues to improve in the latter half of the week.

Huntington traces the origins of the group back to the National Women’s Studies Association Conference in Baltimore, Maryland that seven Women and Gender Studies majors attended in November. Listening to a panel of women speak on the topic of feminist activism, Huntington says that she “immediately thought about the mostly all-men turnout during Pub Lunch.”

In the past, Huntington says that she and her friends had entered the Pub intending to have lunch, only to “immediately turn around and go eat somewhere else.” She calls this a reaction to the “spatial phenomena” where “women do not feel welcome in the space, along with people of color and LGBTQIA+ members.”

Leili Aliyari ’20, another group member, echoes many of Huntington’s sentiments. To her, the purpose of the group is “restoring balance to the campus community and turning the Pub from a space solely dominated by mostly white male athletes, where women and people of color felt intimidated, to a space that is open to all members of this campus.” In her experience attending Pub Lunch this week, she said that turnout was “fantastic” and that “even though I felt a bit anxious before walking in, I saw a lot of women there which was empowering.”

Another factor motivating PUB POWER members to attend Pub Lunch this week? The quality of the food. Aliyari says the food is “really good” and Huntington adds that it is a great space “to socialize and to eat with friends.”

Huntington says that some Pub Lunch regulars have noticed the shifting demographics. She says, “I was talking to a guy in line and he was saying how much more women were here, usually it was ‘90 percent’ men.”

Although there have been no confrontations between Pub regulars and PUB POWER members regarding the influx of women at lunch, Huntington does note that a few have taken issue with their traditional seating patterns being disrupted. She says that on Monday, a “group of guys” approached her friends’ table and asked them to “move upstairs since that was ‘their’ table.”

In response to this incident, Huntington says she “felt angry” because “no one student or organization ‘owns’ particular places on campus.” For Aliyari, these occurrences demonstrate the need for “restoring balance to the campus community,” and she remarks that the current culture of the Pub is one where “people who don’t ‘fit in’ aren’t welcome.”

There have, however, been moments this week where PUB POWER members feel like their initiative has had an effect. Aliyari describes feeling “anxious” before entering the Pub on Monday, but upon walking in, she saw “a lot of women there which was empowering.” Despite noticing “strange stares,” which she attributes to people “not [being] used to so many women being at the Pub,” she hopes to gradually “feel more comfortable and safe eating there, and be a part of dismantling this hegemony.”

It is unclear if PUB POWER hopes to formally address the perceived demographic disparity at Pub Lunch, either in the form of a public statement or discussion with the Pub staff or regular patrons. The group’s description does state that it hopes the women who choose to attend Pub Lunches this week “feel empowered to continue to do so on your own and with you (possibly new) friends!”

Additionally, the group has made efforts to accommodate those who might have dietary restrictions relating to the Pub’s food. To the former, the group encouraged those with dietary issues to “come before or after” their lunch. The Pub, for its part, normally has some vegetarian and vegan options, but these are usually limited to salads and baked goods. This past week alone, entrées have included chicken riggies, italian sausage hoagies, and fish tacos — hardly a murderer’s row for the meat sensitive (no pun intended).

For those members who might feel uncomfortable or uncertain about the purpose of the initiative, PUB POWER organized a meeting on Feb. 11 from 7 to 8 PM on the Sadove third floor to discuss “thoughts, feelings, excitements, and worries.”

Reflecting once more on the purpose of the group, Huntington points to common tropes rolled out by Hamilton students to deflect responsibility in dealing with “hierarchical problems.” She hears students say that, “‘we live in a bubble,’” adding, “That could be true, but it also exemplifies the ignorance of students who are not aware of their privileges.”

“We see Hamilton advertising about how [they] are a welcoming community, a ‘Hamily,’ so why not address and change the unwelcoming aspects on campus?”