College: Gender Studies (Feminism Discussion)

[hxclespaulplayer]

I've been offered a placement in college to complete a Gender Studies unit, due partly to applying myself in lectures that I was just dropping in on without being enrolled. The lecturer appears to be young and idealistic, as my social worker exclaimed that, when he approached her by email, she welcomed me in on the spot, which is apparently unusual for a person in that position to do.

Anyway, what are your opinions of the usefulness of a degree in Gender Studies, career-wise? I've been told many things, namely that it's useless, I'm gay, (two guys and thirty girls in the lectures) a misandrist, etc etc, but I've never before been in a room with so many like-minded people in my life, it's liberating.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: College: Gender Studies

I suggest you first take note of some material you will not be offered in these classes, and be very, very careful about what you're getting into.

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/transcript-of-hi-danielle-nice-to-make.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/is-feminism-hate.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/some-loving-on-women.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/female-privilege-checklist.html

http://www.avoiceformen.com/feminism/government-tyranny/spanish-feminist-establishment-is-shaking/

http://www.avoiceformen.com/feminism/a-catalog-of-cruelty/

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/violence-of-oppressed.html

http://salientsight.com/gww/why-do-mras-bring-up-the-draft-an-open-letter-to-thetruepooka/

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/very-good-article-over-at-false-rape.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/transcript-of-are-vaginas-in-house.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/no-seriously-what-about-teh-man-hatrz.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/transcript-of-fempocalypse.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/transcript-of-those-privileged-blue.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/transcript-of-all-those-dangerous-woman.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/patriarchy-shmatriarchy.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/transcript-of-how-feminism-conned.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/okay-getting-my-shit-together.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/feminism-and-gender-enforcement.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/woman-and-black-are-not-same-thing.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/how-feminism-hates-women.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/how-feminism-hates-women_30.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/whats-in-word.html]

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/why-question-of-circumcision-has-no.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/can-we-redefine-terms-please.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/data-who-needs-data-when-you-got-belief.html

http://owningyourshit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/gender-bendingno-girlie-men-allowed.html

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Re: College: Gender Studies

Given the history of discussions of this nature in Miscellaneous, I predict that this shall go splendidly. We're already off to a great start.

 

[Pingfah]

Re: College: Gender Studies

I'm confused. Isn't the course Gender studies, not Feminism studies?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: College: Gender Studies

Well, that blogger does an awful lot of typing. Pretty stupid shit.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Re: College: Gender Studies

Just to comment on the original topic, it doesn't strike me as all that useful. There are some fields where it would help, but I suspect the number of jobs in those fields are quite limited. I would suggest looking into any job that makes use of the degree (if gender studies doesn't turn up many results, look at women's studies, which is often a similar degree). See if you would want to work at any of those jobs and start volunteering/interning at one at the same time you go for your degree.

If you don't want any of those jobs, that's fine. Intellectual development isn't a bad thing. But you should probably expect to get a job that doesn't have much to do with your education, like selling insurance.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: College: Gender Studies

I'm confused. Isn't the course Gender studies, not Feminism studies?

In practice, Pingfah, a "Gender Studies" class draws upon particular dominant ideologies that have largely controlled the discourse on gender for decades, academia being one of the fields into which this ideology has spread with relative impunity. So, indoctrination into Feminism and its distortions is what you'll find almost overwhelmingly in a Gender Studies course.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: College: Gender Studies

Well, that blogger does an awful lot of typing. Pretty stupid shit.

And why is it "pretty stupid shit", pray tell?

 

[1001001]

Re: College: Gender Studies

I had to look up "misandrist".



I can't imagine there are lots of jobs related to a Gender Studies degree, but I don't know that for sure. I imagine there is research and placement data out there.

If you enjoy it, then give it a try and see where it goes. You could also try to talk to other people who got that degree and see what they say.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: College: Gender Studies

The sort of thing you can expect:

http://chronicle.com/article/Persistent-Myths-in-Feminis/46965

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Re: College: Gender Studies

I had to look up "misandrist".

Well, I could be wrong, but I believe a misandrist is an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.

 

[Avon]

Re: College: Gender Studies

derangednasat, so you found some interweb blogs. good for you.

that's like trying to put off an astrophysics student with a blog about moonlanding conspiracies

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: College: Gender Studies

derangednasat, so you found some interweb blogs. good for you.

that's like trying to put off an astrophysics student with a blog about moonlanding conspiracies

I’ve been somewhat concerned of late (more so than usual) with the casual acceptance among members of this board of dangerous ideologies and distorted reasoning. In the past, I have often failed to take the step of providing links for my condemnations of feminist ideology and our society’s approach to the matter of gender. However, it’s become apparent that this cowardice on my part has not served anyone’s interests at all well, and frankly I’m no longer able to live with the guilt. How can a person have any self-respect when they insist on keeping silent when confronted with widespread mistruth and distortion of truth, afraid to confront that misinformation because they don’t want to “upset” anyone? And how can he possibly respect others when he fails to offer alternate perspectives, so denying those people agency and choice? Or suggesting that they’re too sensitive or close-minded to accept people holding alternate viewpoints without dismissing them - and him - out of hand? To be blunt, my cowardice in the past has been disrespectful to all of you as well as to myself, and recently I’ve come to the point where I can no longer face myself unless I do something. So, here it is. I posted those introductory links and I'm stating outright that this is representative of my take on the issue. Read them, don’t read them, agree, disagree, it doesn’t matter; what matters is that I finally took responsibility and posted them.

I imagine little actual reading, thinking or research will result from this, but then that's your responsibility. I've acknowledged mine.

 

[Avon]

Re: College: Gender Studies

rejection of feminism always boils down to 'you don't think women should be equals and feminism scares my insecurities'. you can link as much as you want but the opinion you're pushing is pathetic.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Re: College: Gender Studies

derangednasat, so you found some interweb blogs. good for you.

that's like trying to put off an astrophysics student with a blog about moonlanding conspiracies

I’ve been somewhat concerned of late (more so than usual) with the casual acceptance among members of this board of dangerous ideologies and distorted reasoning. In the past, I have often failed to take the step of providing links for my condemnations of feminist ideology and our society’s approach to the matter of gender. However, it’s become apparent that this cowardice on my part has not served anyone’s interests at all well, and frankly I’m no longer able to live with the guilt. How can a person have any self-respect when they insist on keeping silent when confronted with widespread mistruth and distortion of truth, afraid to confront that misinformation because they don’t want to “upset” anyone? And how can he possibly respect others when he fails to offer alternate perspectives, so denying those people agency and choice? Or suggesting that they’re too sensitive or close-minded to accept people holding alternate viewpoints without dismissing them - and him - out of hand? To be blunt, my cowardice in the past has been disrespectful to all of you as well as to myself, and recently I’ve come to the point where I can no longer face myself unless I do something. So, here it is. I posted those introductory links and I'm stating outright that this is representative of my take on the issue. Read them, don’t read them, agree, disagree, it doesn’t matter; what matters is that I finally took responsibility and posted them.

I imagine little actual reading, thinking or research will result from this, but then that's your responsibility. I've acknowledged mine.

I think a better approach might be to present your own misgivings on feminist ideology and gender studies courses in a way that makes it more open to debate and discussion than a bombardment of links mostly from a single diatribe ridden blog does.

I'm open to reading an article or two, but after perusing several of the links I saw the writing on the wall with the author and wasn't really interested in digesting the entire blog. How about a summary of your feelings on the matter?

 

[Captain_Nick]

Re: College: Gender Studies

Even if I don't agree with Nasat I say good on him for challenging the status quo. The world needs more free speakers.

Now to the original question. The utility of a Gender Studies degree?

As usual engineering students have the solution.

 

[Captain_Nick]

Re: College: Gender Studies

If you're going to uni to learn something new and become a more well rounded person, do the degree. If you're going to learn a trade and gain employment, then, you know, learn a trade like engineering or business.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Re: College: Gender Studies

Even if I don't agree with Nasat I say good on him for challenging the status quo.

What status quo would that be? You're not suggesting feminism is the dominant ideology in the West, much less the rest of the world, are you? Recent challenges to women's rights in addition to existing systemic inequalities in my country (among others) would seem to put the lie to the idea that feminism is the status quo that needs to be challenged above all else.

 

[Captain_Nick]

Re: College: Gender Studies

No, just this internet forum. Quite frankly I have no idea what he's talking about, nor do I care, but I applaud him for standing up to the rest of you.

 

[Pingfah]

Re: College: Gender Studies

No, just this internet forum. Quite frankly I have no idea what he's talking about, nor do I care, but I applaud him for standing up to the rest of you.

So you have no idea what he is talking about, but you are quite sure it applies to everybody here except you.

Congrats on the most utterly useless post of the day.