so, the Daily Universe (BYU student newspaper) didn't publish my editorial about saving the BYU Women's Research Institute. well, I guess the editorial was more a concern about the effects the elimination of the WRI will have on students, as well as advice to discuss the issue moderately. and they didn't publish any editorial written by the many many female students who wrote in. they published this, written by a male student:
"It is morally wrong for us to question the judgment of our inspired leaders. Stop crying about the loss of your feminist club. Men seem to be doing perfectly fine without one."
unfortunately, like so many BYU editorials, this man was not trying to be funny or sarcastic. he was trying to get me riled up. and oh did he succeed ...
I don't even want to get into all of this. I have too much to say about this issue. I will just keep it short and simple.
1) I believe the leaders of this university are inspired. but they are not gods. it is my job as an involved citizen of this campus to express my concerns. I don't really expect them to change their minds, but I would be negligent if I didn't raise my voice. and utterly irresponsible if I took every word handed down to me without questioning it in a healthy way. I am not a robot.
2) the WRI is not a feminist club. it is an institution that promotes and houses research centered on women and encourages women to research. it is a critical contribution to important scholarship. also, I certainly wish we had a feminist club. I would join. but this is not it.
3) real men would welcome a feminist club. real men appreciate and encourage powerhouse women. real men want an educated and capable woman. cowards fear the influence of intelligent women - as they should. all men should be feminists - the education and equality of individual women will solve the world's problems.
rant over.
The line that gets me is "Men seem to be doing perfectly fine without one." Of course, men are doing fine without one! That's because, in our society and culture, men have long been the default--so basically, every research institute is a Men's Research Institute.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of like people complaining about the NAACP. "White people don't have an association for the advancement of white people, right?" Right, because the whole society is set up for the advancement of white people.
Most people agree with equality for all in principle, but don't understand that sometimes we need to specifically promote and protect a specific groups' interests/needs to bring about that equality.
I didn't make my point as clearly as I wanted to, but hopefully the gist is clear.
ReplyDeletehooray
ReplyDeletethis is another point I wanted to make, but was trying to keep it short.
the gist is clear
amen!