Women's and Gender Studies: Why a WGS Class is a Good Thing, Even for Conservatives

Women's and Gender Studies - Opinions

Ahhh, it's that time of year again. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the stress levels are through the roof. Teachers are rushing to assign all the papers and presentations they possibly can, just in case we thought we might be able to relax and enjoy the nice weather for a minute or two. And on top of the tauntingly nice weather, the numerous assignments, and the looming promise of final exams in the near future, we're expected to find time to plan out a class schedule that will fit our lives four months from now.

My biggest problem with registration has always been finding classes I won't sleep through. I have a habit of picking classes that sound really interesting, just to discover that they are the exact opposite three weeks into the semester. And I know I'm not the only one.

But I'm writing this column to make your life just a little bit easier. I'm going to tell you all about the most interesting class I've ever taken in my three years at UNCG. I want to tell you why you should look into taking a Women's and Gender Studies course.

Before I lose half of my audience, I want you to give me a chance here. WGS courses are largely misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, we don't sit around and discuss how much we hate all the males in the world. You might actually be surprised at the number of guys that take these courses, even if some of them do so to meet girls.

I am currently taking Women and Politics, and it's the first 9:30 class I've ever not wanted to sleep through. This class has taught me so much about the struggle of women throughout the years and has helped me appreciate all the opportunities we have now so much more. It has also helped me to truly understand present-day feminism.

For these reasons, I think female students at UNCG should take a WGS course. I think that as women, it is important for us to understand our history, realize how we have gotten as far as we have, and acknowledge that we still have a long road to equality in society.

The current argument of whether or not America is ready for a female President, whether that means Hillary or Condoleezza, is a great example of this. Unfortunately, I am fairly certain America would not elect a female President at this time, and I believe a lot of that has to do with an underlying bias in American society. Few people would admit to viewing men and women as "unequal", but many would never dream of electing one to such a high position.

It is also important that men take a WGS course. On such an adamantly liberal campus, you would think that courses that teach equality would be a big hit with everyone, but this is not the case. The consensus by many males on campus seems to be that WGS courses are full of man-hating femi-nazis. I've also heard same say that they don't need to take these courses because it's not "their" problem. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, if you have ever uttered a phrase similar to this, you definitely need to take a WGS course. Because society is male-biased, it is important to educate everyone, including men, about women's issues. True equality will not be reached until we can all understand and accept our differences.

Variety is another reason to take a WGS course. Many of their courses are cross-listed with other departments, which means even you can get credit for a history course at the same time as getting credit for a WGS course. It's just like taking a regular college course, but from a different viewpoint, which can be refreshing.

Taking a Women's and Gender Studies course won't turn you into a crazy liberal man-hater, but I promise it will open your eyes and expand your horizons. I urge all of you to look into WGS courses, whether you are male or female, conservative or liberal. It's one class you won't regret taking, even if it does mean you can't sleep in past noon.