The membership of many student-run clubs at Heschel this year is comprised of almost entirely one gender.

“I wanted to do a science club,” said sophomore Ella Nadel, a member of the robotics club, which is all-male aside from her. “It felt uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to stop going.” 

Choosing clubs based on the gender ratio contributes to the problem. 

“A lot of people love science at this school, yet they don’t go [to robotics] for this reason,” Nadel said. 

One of Heschel’s core values is pluralism–not merely tolerating, but celebrating differences. The current gender makeup of Heschel clubs betrays this value; diversity should be viewed as a benefit, not something to shy away from. 

Students should join clubs where they can stand out, and club leaders need to make a greater effort to foster a welcoming environment for all students. It’s up to the Heschel student body to facilitate an equitable gender balance in clubs.