Letter to the Editor

Last week I wrote in to my school paper, The Barometer, in response to a very sexist anti-women article written by Dan Fitzpatrick. As it was a “Letter to the Editor” I had to keep my sentiments short to refute Fitzpatrick’s crazy ideas regarding “true masculinity.” So I would like to take this opportunity to expand on my many thoughts towards that article.

Fitzpatrick starts by saying that the presence of the “Women’s Building, a Women’s Center and the Women’s Studies program” somehow hinders the “cultivating of true masculinity.” I believe he was blatantly attacking these programs as he seems to not know anything about what they stand for and what they accomplish on campus. If he did he would not have included this in his article and would possibly not have written it at all. Not to mention the Women’s Building is just a name. Historically it was the women’s physical education building. I am sure had the women worked out with the men we, women, would have been seen as a “distraction.” So they built a completely different building. I would also like to point out that the men’s physical education building was called, no not the Men’s Building, but Langton. I don’t understand how a title of a building hinders the cultivating of masculinity. Is there something scary about the word “Women?” I guess Fitzpatrick thinks so… As he seems not to dislike the organization, as the women’s building is not an organization, but rather just the words woman/women. He is foisting his problems of true masculinity on women … that’s right ladies … we can shrink a man’s masculinity just by being on campus .. who knew?

However, I seriously do not understand men feeling threatened by the presence of such organizations. The Women's center and program do nothing to hurt men and in all truthfulness help everyone by breaking down stereotypes. Both the Women’s Center and the Women Studies program have been on campus for 35 years. We as women have come a long way in all those years. The center and department have been as much a refuge as a platform for change. And both continue to grow and expand furthering the education of many students with non-tradition subject matter and topics that relate to popular culture.

Before my first women studies course, I did not understand what a feminist was. I came to realize that although I had not applied the term to myself before, it described many things I had fought against my entire life. It described my feelings towards life and lined up with my point of view. Finally I found a word, a group, a commonality with others. Finally, I found myself. I found a new passion and refuse to stay quiet about injustices I see or read in newspapers.

Fitzpatrick continues in his article to mention those tasks he feels are "unique" to men where the title of women can't seem to interrupt the masculinity. However, he uses football, the military, and religion to display his points and these fields are not limited to men nor are the characteristics he says they invoke.