Student Social Action Against Discrimination related to Gender: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Sexism.jpg|thumb|Description]] | [[Image:Sexism.jpg|thumb|Description]] | ||
*image from http://www.eits.uga.edu/dms/salad/jpeg/sexism | *image from http://www.eits.uga.edu/dms/salad/jpeg/sexism | ||
Women are often excluded from the subject matter that is read in classrooms. According to Jane Martin in her book Minding Women, "women are excluded as both subjects and objects of educational thought from standard texts and anthologies." The literature and the work done by women in the past are excluded from the classroom further emphasizing and aiding with the process of the devaluation of women, and helping to maintain a hierarchical society in terms of gender. This becomes the case because the male educational standards become the norm and the female becomes the exception. | Women are often excluded from the subject matter that is read in classrooms. According to Jane Martin in her book Minding Women, "women are excluded as both subjects and objects of educational thought from standard texts and anthologies." The literature and the work done by women in the past are excluded from the classroom further emphasizing and aiding with the process of the devaluation of women, and helping to maintain a hierarchical society in terms of gender. This becomes the case because the male educational standards become the norm and the female becomes the exception. | ||
=== Sexual Harassment === | === Sexual Harassment === | ||
[[Image:SA_mindmap.gif|thumb|Description]] | |||
*image from http://www.rwh.org.au/emplibrary/casa/SA_mindmap | |||
Sexual harassment is defined as "repeated unwanted sexual attention". Sexual harassment statistics on college campuses are shocking. Often, this issue is the biggest fear of many parents sending their children away to school, and many parents and student will often select a school based on its safety ratings. As a tour guide here at Dickinson, I know that the question most frequently asked of me by parents, and students alike, is "How safe do you feel on campus?" Clearly, this is an epidemic that is and has been a problem on college campuses. | Sexual harassment is defined as "repeated unwanted sexual attention". Sexual harassment statistics on college campuses are shocking. Often, this issue is the biggest fear of many parents sending their children away to school, and many parents and student will often select a school based on its safety ratings. As a tour guide here at Dickinson, I know that the question most frequently asked of me by parents, and students alike, is "How safe do you feel on campus?" Clearly, this is an epidemic that is and has been a problem on college campuses. | ||
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99% of offenders are male. | 99% of offenders are male. | ||
Statistics from http://www.psu.edu/ouic/orientation100/T10/sexassult.html | |||
===And in more local news...=== | |||
An email sent out to the student body of Dickinson College from the Department of Public Safety reads as follows: | An email sent out to the student body of Dickinson College from the Department of Public Safety reads as follows: | ||
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The issues | === The issues facing lesbians, gays and bisexuals === | ||
[[Image:Vigil.gif|thumb|Description]] | |||
*image from http://www.d.umn.edu/~qsu/vigil | |||
An issue that is often overlooked on college campuses is the issues that face lesbian, gay and bisexual students. Finding statistics on the abuse that they face on a regular basis was a difficult task. | An issue that is often overlooked on college campuses is the issues that face lesbian, gay and bisexual students. Finding statistics on the abuse that they face on a regular basis was a difficult task. | ||
Latest revision as of 23:43, 11 May 2006
Student Social Action Against Discrimination Related to Gender
Tell us what it is to be a woman so that we may know what it is to be a man. What moves at the margin. What it is to have no home in this place. To be set adrift from the one you knew. What it is to live at the edge of towns that cannot bear your company. ~Toni Morrison (Nobel Lecture, 1993)
"Bit by bit . . . she had claimed herself. Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another." ~Toni Morrison
Sexism and Gender Discrimination
image found at http://www.boomspeed.com/quatrain/sexism-web
Definition
Sexism and Gender Discrimination are issues that have faced women and men in the United States and all over the world for ages. Sexism is defined as "discrimination based on gender, especially discrimination against women; and attitudes, conditions, or behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender." Sexism is prevalent in contemporary society. Through the depiction of male and female roles in the media, gender opression persists and continues to weave itself into global culture through this avenue. Sexism is a system of opression that allows the dominant male group to keep the non-dominant group subjugated. This goal is accomplished by utilising and perpetuating stereotypes and socially constructed myths by adding value to them. It is also accomplished through sexual violence. In a more specific sense, on college campuses, sexism presents itself in many forms. It could present itself in the administration and the representation of gender and sexual orientation amongst administrators and faculty. It could also present itself in the representation of gender and sexual orientation in the student body. Fraternities and the rape culture with which they are associated could also contribute greatly to the sexist atmosphere of a campus. It also presents itself in the statistics that depict sexual harrassment on campuses and the extent to which they occur. Sexism can also present itself in the form of homophobia. Homophobia is defined as the fear or discontent for lesbians or gays.
Sexism on College Campuses
Sexism is an issue that can be so invisible that it seems non-existent. Once one begins to understand the meaning of the word and the many ways in which it applies to society, its existence becomes clearer.
In the classroom
Women are often excluded from the subject matter that is read in classrooms. According to Jane Martin in her book Minding Women, "women are excluded as both subjects and objects of educational thought from standard texts and anthologies." The literature and the work done by women in the past are excluded from the classroom further emphasizing and aiding with the process of the devaluation of women, and helping to maintain a hierarchical society in terms of gender. This becomes the case because the male educational standards become the norm and the female becomes the exception.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as "repeated unwanted sexual attention". Sexual harassment statistics on college campuses are shocking. Often, this issue is the biggest fear of many parents sending their children away to school, and many parents and student will often select a school based on its safety ratings. As a tour guide here at Dickinson, I know that the question most frequently asked of me by parents, and students alike, is "How safe do you feel on campus?" Clearly, this is an epidemic that is and has been a problem on college campuses. The statistics of sexual harassment and rape on college campuses in 2001 were as follows:
1 in 4 women will be sexually assaulted on a college campuses.
1 in 8 women will be raped on a college campus.
10% of these rapes will occur at fraternities.
1 in 12 college men reported that they had committed acts that met the legal definition of rape.
91% of reported rape victims are female.
9% of reported rape victims are male.
99% of offenders are male.
Statistics from http://www.psu.edu/ouic/orientation100/T10/sexassult.html
And in more local news...
An email sent out to the student body of Dickinson College from the Department of Public Safety reads as follows:
The case of sexual harassment is one that permeates throughout college and university culture all across the United States. A student reported to the Department of Public Safety that on April 29, 2006 at approximately 2:00 a.m. she was assaulted on the 200 block of W. Pomfret Street in the Borough of Carlisle. The victim stated that she was walking west on W. Pomfret Street and was approached by a male subject. The subject grabbed her and attempted to pull her from the sidewalk. The victim resisted, struck the subject, and was able to escape.
The subject is described as a tall white male in his mid 30s, with short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with writing on the back, blue jeans and white sneakers.
Investigation into this case continues by the Carlisle Police Department. You could play a crucial role in this investigation. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 717-245-1349 or the Carlisle Police Department at 717-243-5252. You may also contact the Public Safety via the Anonymous Tip Website at http://www.dickinson.edu/departments/pubsaf/anonymoustips.html
STOP – Call a friend – Get a ride – But please…Don't walk alone at night!
There has been a elevated level of caution encouraged by the Department of Public Safety in recent weeks as incident of sexual assault and harrassment have been on the rise here on our campus and in the community. Incidents such as these occur on a daily basis on campuses across the nation.
The issues facing lesbians, gays and bisexuals
- image from http://www.d.umn.edu/~qsu/vigil
An issue that is often overlooked on college campuses is the issues that face lesbian, gay and bisexual students. Finding statistics on the abuse that they face on a regular basis was a difficult task.
42% of lesbian and gay students had suffered some form of physical aggression while at the university, such as being chased, having objects thrown at them, having personal property destroyed or bring assaulted.
Additionally, a 1990 poll of a number of 4 year colleges yielded the results that of colleges that reported acts of intolerance, such as race-related or gender-related ciolence, on campuses, sexual orientation was the more prevalent factor in the reasons for the occurences of these assaults.
Of the nonheterosexual youth under the age of 20... "Many struggle with social disapprobation, isolation, higher than average instances of suicide, substance abuse, risk of dropping out of school, homelessness, parental rejection, emotional isolation, low-self esteem, physical and verbal abuse and sexually transmitted diseases" . pg 55.
"Studies indicate that 51% of fiest year students think lesbians and gay men should try to be heterosexual and 54% described themselves as 'disapproving' or 'very disapproving' of homosexuality" pg 55.
Greek Life and Rape Culture
Campus Activism for Gender Equality and Anti-Sexism
image found at http://www.feministcampus.org/march/studentImages/campusteam01/photos/photoIndex_campusteam
The following are groups that encourage college students to get involved on their campuses and provides a support base for them to do so.
