Susannah Rowe calls for women to understand and appreciate the "traditional" male roles on the dating scene in her "Dating Too Traditional?" article in the March 2005 Dickinsonian. Rowe takes a look at how in all aspects of life, even in the natural world, men are supposed to take the lead in getting a relationship, or even dating. She calls for women to be more appreciative of the effort men put out to get their attention, and even asks women to consider taking charge of their dating life.
"Stereotyping the Genders" was a piece written by Susannah Rowe for the September 2005 Dickinsonian discussing an awareness event on campus. "She Fears You" was a program meant to draw attention to the stereotypes of men and women through provocative posters and a program. The main idea of the program was breaking the generalizations that "men rape" and all women "fear" men. In some cases, this is true, but Susannah Rowe writes about how the campus program worked to shatter some of these images.
Students traveling on Dickinson Study Abroad Programs run the risk of getting involved in serious relationships that sometimes end, like for Natalie Wilson on the Toulouse Program, with an engagement. Program directors note that dating natives helps increase students' understanding of the language and culture, but often times this separates the students from the rest of the student group. In most cases these are American Dickinsonian women dating native men, and usually these women never planned on meeting someone!
"No Time for Dating" is a piece written for the September 2004 issue of the Dickinsonian discussing how Dickinson students have no time for dating. According to the writer, students do not have enough time for a serious relationship, between "classes, clubs, homework and jobs there are just not enough hours in a day." Since we are mostly confined to the classroom for the majority of the day, and then spend the rest of the time in the library, it is hard to sustain a relationship.
Kathryn Egan, the Women's Center columnist for the Dickinsonian, discusses stereotypes experienced at college in the September 2004 issue of the Dickinsonian. She discusses the stereotypes of sororities, fraternities, those in favor of women's issues, those who attend a private liberal arts college, men and women. Kathryn expresses her disgust with how people stereotype all of these groups, stating that we all individuals, but because of that we have a tendency by others to be grouped.
While the national average for male female ratio is 45/55, at Dickinson in 1999, it was 36/64 and in 2003. 43-57. Dickinson wants to combat this increasingly female trend by emphasizing Dickinson's strengths in athletics or sciences, more "masculine" fields. It was stressed in the article that admissions decisions were NEVER based on gender and no one that was unqualified for Dickinson would be admitted even if they were of a lacking gender. That is why Dickinson is never 45/55 exactly. The decrease of male applicants created this upsurge in female matriculation.
"Girls debased by lack of clothing" was an article posted in the September 2002 Dickinsonian about the way women dress on campus. The writer rants about the way women dress in the cafeteria, that it is "not a place to parade around half-naked." She expresses her shock that "in today's ultra-feminist world there was so many girls who would let themselves be so degraded, let alone degrade themselves!" She calls for the college to impose some sort of dress code, nothing too strict, just that people dress appropriately for class and public places.
Dr. Drew Pinsky, the "love doctor" came to Dickinson to answer relationship questions. He discusses issues like masturbation, pornography, birth control, prostitutes/strippers. In conclusion, Dr. Drew wanted his audience to know that "sex is a wonderful and beautiful thing in the right context and at the right time. But if sex is abused or done in the wrong way or at the wrong time, then it can lead to serious and painful problems."Â He also addressed cheating- men cheat beacuse they can. But women do because they are looking for a remedy for their emotional needs.
A poll of Dickinson students shows that the majority of those who responded "hook-up"- which they have defined as "being "physically intimate with people who they are not dating." 43% of students were in a serious monogamous relationship. 26% of single students were not looking for a relationship. 57% of students were not invovled in any relationship. The student respondents felt that the reason for this "hook up" culture was due to Dickinson's social scene focusing on parties and drinking.
Women's Studies becomes a major/minor program, not just a certificate (it had been since 1991). "Men don't know what it means to be marginazlied. If we are the make this world a better place for all people men must learn about the role of male dominance in oppression and injustice and learn what they can do to change that oppression."
Around Campus questioning about affirmative action bringing more men to campus in 2000 brought some interesting comments. Ayree Koh '04 said that "People should be able to choose where they go to school without an outside force compelling them." A male student, Chris Daubert had no opinion:"Honestly, it's not that important to me," he said .Melissa Laureau '03 said "It would be nice to have more men on campus. I would prefer that the school keep the standards up." Why standards would need to be "kept up" is unclear.
Singer, a male student, is reprimanded by his professor for trying to make "himself agreeable to the coeds" which is recorded in the 1892 April Dickinsonian. Professor Himes calls out Singer on his flirtatious actions asking him that when he is finished talking to the ladies, "the lecture will be continued...Please don't sit so close to them in the future."
An anonymous letter to the Editor in response to Dean Bylander's article on sexual assault and the reasons why victims do not come forward addresses Dickinson's judicial system. He/she says: "It fails to provide victims with security or closure, and more often than not, it allows the abuser to come away with little more than a slap on the wrist." They demand to know "what the college is hiding." This student feels that sexual violence was not being dealt with openly and more awareness was necessary on campus.
Dean Joyce Bylander in this week's copy of the Dickinsonian addresses the student body about acquaintance sexual assault. She urges that the student body "to create an envionment that simply is intolerant of acts of violence against women (women are the primary victims of this act) and work to stop them. We have to be able to make the connection between exploitation and degredation of women and the resulting propensity to see women as sexual objects," she says. The Women's Center actively works to make the Dickinson campus safer for women.
A journal taken from the womens center, it contains female Dickinsonians rants, frustrations, and the sharing of stories. Many of the stories have to do with sexual assault or rape and demonstrate how the Women's Center was a safe place for these women to share their stories and try to find some peace.
Two unidentified women very happily pose for the camera in this photograph, circa 1970, and appear to be having quite a good time being silly and kidding around with each other.
A group of five unidentified women are captured in this photograph, circa 1969, standing alongside one of Dickinson's athletic fields and appear to be cheering.Â
Introduction to Womens Studies class with Stephanie Larson. Students Julie Song and Heather Pomeroy study a book called "The Lenses of Gender."
Dickinson cheerleader, Donna Di Vincenzo, '72, does a peppy kick for the camera in this photograph circa 1970.Â
1980s Physical Education Offering for Women, Slimnastics.