What's going on here?

[beandelphiki]

I'm wondering why exactly people are jumping down the throats of the guy who posted in ftm about going to a women-only college.

I understand and AGREE with what was said - we are men, and we don't belong AT ALL in women-only space.

But.

He specifically said that he does NOT have the money to transfer. The other suggestion seemed to be to wait it out, and that infuriated me, simply from the position of an MtM who will NOT wait to transition, no matter what the hell anybody thinks. It's MY body, goddammit. I do not have the patience, or the remaining SANITY to wait too much longer.

And I don't see why anyone should be telling him what to do with HIS body.

You know what my biggest problem with this is? I don't see why there should be such things as women-only colleges to begin with. Seems damn stupid to me, really. Why would anybody want to go to a college that was only populated by one gender? I see a lot of "inbreeding" happening - so to speak. Consider how women's colleges are rumored to produce all sorts of drivel-spewing brainless lemmings. Not that I believe that, of course.

(I tried to find the link for the Laura Croft thesis, but I couldn't. Damnit.)

Comments

Re: women's colleges

[siegeengine.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. that's very interesting.

I had not thought about it from that angle, but I can see your point. Makes sense. Any thoughts on why the trend started to change (before the people yelled about changing it)? I just think that's odd that suddenly a trend for boys to do better in science, etc, would reverse itself.

I guess the whole feminist movement was active at that time, and the "free-love" '60s really changed the way people looked at themselves, and at colleges, etc. Maybe that broke down some of the authoritarian control that profs and admins had at schools and encouraged more free thinking.

Anyway, appreciate the education and your thoughts.
as always.

Re: women's colleges

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

Any thoughts on why the trend started to change (before the people yelled about changing it)? I just think that's odd that suddenly a trend for boys to do better in science, etc, would reverse itself.

I'm not totally sure...what I've read really wasn't too clear. But here's my best guess:

SOMETHING motivated people to look into it. No ideas there - it may have been the 60's thing you mentioned. Maybe people complained.

But I suspect the trend was starting to turn around simply because there were studies that found girls to be disadvantaged. THEN it got out to the feminists, and they started a campaign. Every study is a least a few years old by the time it reaches the general public; that's as "current" as current research gets. But maybe the schools got that info sooner because it was specifically applicable...? Yeah. *shrug*

Anyway, I feel like my earlier comment came off as...hmm...overzealous? That just hit a sore spot. See, I have nothing against "women can do science!" per se, but there's no male equivalent. I was in math class once, and some guys behind me were looking at a poster hanging on the wall behind them. "'Women in Mathematics?' How come there's no MEN in mathematics, huh? What, like we can't add and subtract?"

I think they should have, say, men in literature. Since that's supposed to be the male weak spot. I mean, everyone knows Shakespeare was a guy, but so what? Nobody knows shit about him except that he's a dead white guy who's practically incomprehensible. He might as well be a Martian. What if we got taught about the life of Jack London? That would be interesting. I just think there needs to be something to balance out, "And [X female scientist] was a woman, girls. See?"

Not that there can't be asshole teachers who DO treat girls badly. Heh heh, don't even get me started on my jr. high gym teacher. :P