A Letter of Protest
by Kelly
Dear College,
I recently heard from one of my Women’s Studies professors that you intend to change the title of the Women’s Studies major to “Gender & Queer Studies.” I applaud your interest in gender and queer studies, but I would like to protest this title change.
By changing the curriculum and title of the Women’s Studies major, you are taking away the one “female-centric” area of study at our college. While many other disciplines address women’s issues and history, they do so in a cursory manner, often treating women as subjects without agency. The few women discussed are “tokens” and “exceptions” rather than the rule (and might I add that women of color are mentioned even less).
Some might say that there is less of a need for feminist courses as women in the United States gain more agency, independence and equal rights. However, when one considers that there are still discriminatory practices in the workplace, a substantial wage gap between the sexes, and a lack of paid and comprehensive maternity leave – not to mention the many other issues women face globally – it is glaringly apparent that equality has not been achieved. The critical examination of the political and social institutions that make up our society is one of the primary aims of a liberal arts college. In like manner, the Women’s Studies major re-evaluates old frameworks, brings to light new histories, and encourages an atmosphere of rigorous study. As an area of study, it is both meaningful and relevant.
Another concern I have about eliminating Women’s Studies as a major is the fact that it creates an environment in which male studies could potentially re-gain dominance. In queer studies, for example, classes might place more emphasis on the white male homosexual experience rather than that of lesbians or gay people of color. To avoid this, I believe that it is important to keep at least one major in which women are the focus of study.
My proposal, therefore, is that a Gender & Queer Studies major could be created as a separate entity. If there are overlapping courses and topics, then these could be listed under both majors. It is important to remember that Women’s Studies courses are not about gender, but rather about women. While some Women’s Studies courses naturally address gender roles, there are also classes about the history of women, the concerns of women in the workplace, and female writers and artists. These are gender-specific studies, not gender studies.
Until all studies are women’s studies, I do not support this change in title and curriculum.
Respectfully,
Dollface
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Now here’s the million dollar question: if I were to actually send this in, would it change anything? According to my professor, this title change is deeply debated by the faculty members involved in Women’s Studies, with half supporting the change and the other half protesting it. What are your thoughts? Does/did your campus have a Women’s Studies major & if so, would you fight the administration over this kind of issue?
Maybe hospitals should get rid of ear-nose-throat, podiatry, gynecology, and all those specialty areas and just have a general “healing area.”
Ears, noses, and throats don’t need special treatment. Where’s my elbow skin department!
I get so sick of these supposed “humanists” and “equalists.” Of course everyone wants equality. But when a problem affects a certain segment of the population, you have to recognize that too. You don’t put a bandage on perfectly good skin. You put it on a cut.
I totally agree with you dollface, and I definitely think you should send this letter in. I mean, we’ve talked about this for the past 3 days now–men’s voices are still valued more than women’s, even in feminist circles. The reason we’re called feminists (and NOT equalists or humanists, grawr) is because sexism is primarily directed at women! Certainly, some women contribute to the system of sexist oppression, but the sexist system *as a whole* is designed to oppress women and privilege men.
When people start talking about gender studies, they are generally trying to sugarcoat things. Y’know: “Oh, we’re not talking about those RADICAL feminists; we’re talking about men and women and caring about both of them” (and that’s exactly why women’s studies are rarely called “feminist studies,” because that would wrongly translate in too many uninformed minds as “misandry studies.”)
It’s true that schools may have difficulty raising funds to create a separate queer studies department, but just because we want to have a political sciene major in addition to a history major doesn’t mean we turn it into a “social studies major.” Certainly, history and political science intersect and you can talk about the shared commonalities between the two, but you still have separate areas of focus.
I agree with you dollface! Send this in, and hopefully preserve your women’s studies program’s rightful name!
Haha. AY Siu beat me to it! :D
I shared this letter with my uncle for his advice and he raised another point I hadn’t thought about: the fact that it’s called queer studies, which as he said “uses the terminology of oppressors”. He suggested “sexual minorities” instead, which is interesting.
The whole issue leaves a bad taste in my mouth, especially considering students have not been given a chance to express their thoughts on the matter.
Well, on the other hand, it could show that the word has been really reclaimed by gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. I mean, that could in a way be seen as the penultimate message of “this is our word and not yours anymore.”
Wouldn’t it be cool if we could have “feminist bitch cunt studies”!?! AWESOME.
Haha, true that. I don’t know, it’s always been referred to as “Queer studies” in academia. I’m not sure who picked that phraseology, to be honest. Research time!
At least your school is open minded enough to consider such a program. The Uni that I attended and sadly had to drop out of, but will soon be back in only offers a women’s study minor and no real sociology program to speak of. Luckily the history program is pretty smooth and fairly diverse. I would send the letter if I were you, as well as trying to convince your like minded peers to start a letter writing campaign. A petition or march might work as well.
The term “queer,” as I understand it is a really flexible term that is used in academia and on college campuses. I was so shocked when I first heard friends referring to themselves as “queer,” but I agree with others now that it’s a flexible term that doesn’t connote hyper-sexuality as the terms “bisexual” or “gay” and “lesbian” do.
I think you should definitely send the letter in. And why not have a few people sign it too, petition style–students and faculty.
I would absolutely send that letter in. If for no other reason that a lot of administrations have a system where for every letter they recieve they assume it represents x number of people who feel strongly about the issue but did not write a letter.
I agree with Hina, as well that if possible you should get it signed. This is definitely the kind of thing you should fight hard over. Gender and queer studies are important and relevant but women’s studies is already a broad, broad category in terms of the demographic it covers and the experience of, for example, a gay man, is in many ways completely unlike the experience of any woman, of any orientation.