Defending a Discipline

Being a Women's Studies student is hard work - not just because the content can be challenging, but because of the resistance the discipline faces from other disciplines. Let me explain.

Very often, when I disclose that I am a Women's Studies minor, I often encounter raised-eyebrows and questioning looks. Sometimes, I face a clear disapproval of my choice of study. Women's Studies is not considered a valid, relevant discipline. The most common criticisms of the field are that if WMST claims to be fighting for equality, then why is it called what it is? And then comes the question we have all endlessly sighed over: Why isn't there a 'Men's Studies'? There is a 'Men's Studies'. It's called HIStory. And practically every single other discipline that mostly talks all about accomplishments of men (usually rich white men) in the field.

It is true that Women's Studies rose out of an era of feminism when it was a revolutionary idea... the idea that women - and men - would be studying about the accomplishments of other women. And perhaps it is also true that 'Women's' studies are not as relevant anymore when society claims that equality has been attained. But I ask you to truly look at our society, introspect a little, and see if it is possible to make the claim that we live in an equal society. Granted, that situations in different parts of the world vary - the West perhaps does not have such blatant inequality, though I have always wondered if it is better for activists to be confronted with, and thus to work towards eradicating blatant injustices, rather than subtle ones.

But back to my point about inequality. Yes, I dare to claim that women are not equal in our, nor any society in the world. If women were equal, some men would not be able to rape women, and get away with it. If women were equal, rape would not be used as a weapon of war. If women were equal, almost every single profane word in the English language would not be an insult directed towards women. If women were equal, some men would not beat their wives.

So. There is need for Women's Studies. Or if not Women's Studies, then at least the study of gender, and people who are marginalized. I can accept evolution of the discipline, but I cannot, and will not accept total eradication.

Flying thoughts and racing ideas

So. I didn't theme this blog. That's okay. The reason for that may be apparent with the title of this post. My brain never seems to stand still long enough for me to logically comprehend and make sense of all my thoughts. Sometimes I wish there was a way to categorize them all, and organize them into files and folders, like I do with my courses. But at other times, I am grateful for not having a strict organizational regime in my mind. Can you imagine what that would be like? I am content with my mind being more like an old treasure chest, memories strewn haphazardly and discovered years later with a chuckle, or a gasp (I can't believe I did that when I was 16!!!).

But enough of this. On the subject of flying thoughts and racing ideas, I think I should mention that I've been following the Olympics (indirectly, of course, mostly through my friends and my sister) a lot more than usual. The Olympics are a symbol of unity and friendly, peaceful competition, and of course, excellence in sports. Competing nations at large meet in solidarity and their people cheer for one another. The sports are an excellent way of fostering unity and solidarity, and provides athletes with the opportunity to test themselves against worthy opponents from all over the world, a chance that I am sure is very appealing to athletes.

But what defines it exactly? It is obvious that the quest for medals often overrides the quality of friendliness and intensifies the competition. Consequently, athletes are subjected to an insurmountable pressure to perform not only well, but place within the top 3. And if they don't, then they are subjected to taunts and ridicules by their media, as if they don't feel bad about themselves already. Since they are largely funded by corporations and tax money, athletes are made to feel deeply responsible for their loss.

And underlying all of this is a larger, deeper, more problematic issue that confronts every single nation hosting the Olympics. This year's Winter Olympics committee in Vancouver is being highly criticized by the international media for their poor organization. At the same time however, what is less publicized are the large number of protests by the Canadian First Nations people about the land that most of the Olympics pitches and ski hills are built on. This land is claimed to be stolen, Native land for which of course, the Native people have not been compensated. In addition, the east side of downtown Vancouver, generally notorious for harbouring a large number of homeless people has been mysteriously 'cleared out' with little or no evidence of where these people now are. All this, I have been hearing about through word of mouth. There is barely any media station that is publishing any information about it, no doubt having been silenced, either by the government or their corporate sponsors.

I have never really kept up with the Olympics. Until now. I am very interested to see whether the stolen land will be returned to the First Nations people, and whether Vancouver's east side will again be teeming with the homeless once the charade of the Olympics is done with. One thing I've learned through my education these past few years is that every global action has a far-reaching consequence beyond its original intention. And since we're living in a globalized world, it has become all the more difficult to deflect this chain reaction.