In recent weeks, there have been several totally baffling
articles about gender relations at Mills in The Weekly, which seem
to be loosely based on the idea that bigoted, sexist behavior is
acceptable or even justified, when practiced by women against
men.
These articles have included shocking personal disclosures, such
as the unpleasant discovery by one freshwoman outlined in the “Our
Opinion” piece that a co-ed dorm actually contained a man in an
official capacity, and that she felt she should have been notified
of this.
Men, simply through the act of being men, are not automatically
oppressors.
Likewise, women, simply by having unpleasant interactions with
men, are not simply victims.
This kind of desperate attempt to villianize [sic] men and
appeal to stereotypical sex roles as a whole seems to run directly
counter to the idea of acceptance, equality, and empowerment that
forms a central part of Mills’ ideology.
Sexual discrimination and prejudice are not automatically
justified simply because they are being practiced by the historical
minority group on the historical oppressor.
This is not a solution to the problem of gender bias; it is only
a polarity reversal.
Men don’t deserve to be considered second class citizens any
more than women do, especially since the idea of gender equality
necessarily requires the equal participation of both men and
women.
It should be understood that the ideals of women’s liberation
are far from being questioned here, but that the maturity of that
liberation could be demonstrated by not turning around and applying
it in the marginalization of male students, who are every bit as
much human beings as women. Equality is reciprocal.
Marc Jensen, Graduate Student
