Online Day 4

The article my group presented in class this week was "Campus Men's Right Group Kicks, Screams." The article is about a group of men at Arizona State University who believe there should be a class available on campus similar to women's studies, but in respect to men. This group of guys feel that "women have NEVER been systematically oppressed." They go on to state that, if anything, men have been oppressed. Dramatically trying to prove their point with things like "While she stayed indoor with the kids, churned butter, and baked biscuits, my forefathers were out there getting attacked by wild animals, natural disasters, plagues, mental and physical exhaustion you name it. Who was inside sitting next to the fire reading a book? Women. Who risked his life to save the women and children? Men. Who is it who fends off wild animals of fangs and claws, fends off roving bands of barbarians? Men. Men didn't have time to oppress women." They say that they believe gender warfare is the root of all societal problems, and a keen lens from which to understand all human affairs...which if they were educated about their "cause" they would know that that itself is the basis for women's studies, gender equality. It is not the bra burning, men hating group that most believe it to be. It's about everyone having equal opportunity and rights in their community and society as a whole.
Now, don't get me wrong. I believe that if women have an opportunity to study their oppression and fight to fix it, then men should get the same opportunity. But what this group of people (I won't even say all men) don't understand is they do have this opportunity, in every history class ever taught. They are all about the accomplishments of men, and their success in establishing societies and exploration. Men have been taught of their forefathers struggles and successes they're whole life. It is only once we get to college that we have the opportunity to learn about the female side of the fight and struggle.
Overall, I feel like the people in this article have a point; they just aren't very educated in their fight and the knowledge that their group of study already exists. I believe if you are going to fight for a cause, you need to educate yourself entirely and in every aspect before you take it to the public and the media to make a fool of yourself. I also think these men need to understand that they are not losing just because women are more assertive now, and women are not winning just because we are taking charge. They need to understand that equality is what its all about.

-Emily Hamilton