Female Privilege Takes a Hit

[Trausti]

The battle over Michigan State University’s women-only lounge began with a rival school’s male professor.

Mark Perry, who teaches economics at the University of Michigan’s Flint campus, had stumbled upon a news story about the 91-year-old room in MSU’s sprawling student union. “They’d written about what a great space this is for women,” Perry said. “They can go in and take a nap and not be worried about being bothered.”

He figured it couldn’t be legal. Banning men from a taxpayer-funded study area, Perry thought, could violate Title IX, a federal law meant to protect gender equality on college campuses. So he contacted the school. Nothing changed. He sent a complaint to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights in June, but the department would not accept it because Perry had not personally endured discrimination.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/28/a-male-professor-says-this-women-only-study-lounge-is-sexist-and-illegal/#comments

This is just a blurb from a midwestern state; but the opposition to ending this discrimination is perplexing. If equality doesn't mean equality, what does it mean?

 

[braces_for_impact]

So what you're saying is all lives matter?

 

[Bronzeage]

The battle over Michigan State University’s women-only lounge began with a rival school’s male professor.

Mark Perry, who teaches economics at the University of Michigan’s Flint campus, had stumbled upon a news story about the 91-year-old room in MSU’s sprawling student union. “They’d written about what a great space this is for women,” Perry said. “They can go in and take a nap and not be worried about being bothered.”

He figured it couldn’t be legal. Banning men from a taxpayer-funded study area, Perry thought, could violate Title IX, a federal law meant to protect gender equality on college campuses. So he contacted the school. Nothing changed. He sent a complaint to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights in June, but the department would not accept it because Perry had not personally endured discrimination.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/28/a-male-professor-says-this-women-only-study-lounge-is-sexist-and-illegal/#comments

This is just a blurb from a midwestern state; but the opposition to ending this discrimination is perplexing. If equality doesn't mean equality, what does it mean?

If you read the article, the women's study room is not a privilege, it's a cage. Women hide in there because the male privilege which rules in other parts of campus make it difficult for a woman to take advantage the state provided education opportunities.

Equality would mean a female student could attend a tax funded school without needing a refuge from harassment.

 

[Trausti]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/28/a-male-professor-says-this-women-only-study-lounge-is-sexist-and-illegal/#comments

This is just a blurb from a midwestern state; but the opposition to ending this discrimination is perplexing. If equality doesn't mean equality, what does it mean?

If you read the article, the women's study room is not a privilege, it's a cage. Women hide in there because the male privilege which rules in other parts of campus make it difficult for a woman to take advantage the state provided education opportunities.

Equality would mean a female student could attend a tax funded school without needing a refuge from harassment.

So a men's only lounge would be okay, too? At what point do we become animal farm?

 

[Bronzeage]

If you read the article, the women's study room is not a privilege, it's a cage. Women hide in there because the male privilege which rules in other parts of campus make it difficult for a woman to take advantage the state provided education opportunities.

Equality would mean a female student could attend a tax funded school without needing a refuge from harassment.

So a men's only lounge would be okay, too? At what point do we become animal farm?

If the point was a class, you'd be marked absent today.

Why did the women have a separate lounge in the first place?

 

[bigfield]

The battle over Michigan State University’s women-only lounge began with a rival school’s male professor.

Mark Perry, who teaches economics at the University of Michigan’s Flint campus, had stumbled upon a news story about the 91-year-old room in MSU’s sprawling student union. “They’d written about what a great space this is for women,” Perry said. “They can go in and take a nap and not be worried about being bothered.”

He figured it couldn’t be legal. Banning men from a taxpayer-funded study area, Perry thought, could violate Title IX, a federal law meant to protect gender equality on college campuses. So he contacted the school. Nothing changed. He sent a complaint to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights in June, but the department would not accept it because Perry had not personally endured discrimination.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-study-lounge-is-sexist-and-illegal/#comments

This is just a blurb from a midwestern state; but the opposition to ending this discrimination is perplexing. If equality doesn't mean equality, what does it mean?

Why are you perplexed? Do you believe male and female students should be treated exactly the same as each other, even when they face different problems on campus?

 

[Nice Squirrel]

The battle over Michigan State University’s women-only lounge began with a rival school’s male professor.

Mark Perry, who teaches economics at the University of Michigan’s Flint campus, had stumbled upon a news story about the 91-year-old room in MSU’s sprawling student union. “They’d written about what a great space this is for women,” Perry said. “They can go in and take a nap and not be worried about being bothered.”

He figured it couldn’t be legal. Banning men from a taxpayer-funded study area, Perry thought, could violate Title IX, a federal law meant to protect gender equality on college campuses. So he contacted the school. Nothing changed. He sent a complaint to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights in June, but the department would not accept it because Perry had not personally endured discrimination.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/28/a-male-professor-says-this-women-only-study-lounge-is-sexist-and-illegal/#comments

This is just a blurb from a midwestern state; but the opposition to ending this discrimination is perplexing. If equality doesn't mean equality, what does it mean?

It is illegal and a violation of Title IX.

 

[prideandfall]

It is illegal and a violation of Title IX.

i completely disagree, because "equality" in this case means equal capacity to sit in a room and lounge and/or study, and given the nature of a sufficient percentage of men at a college age (and the general zeitgeist of about campus life in this country right now) when it comes to having issues with leaving women alone, i think it's quite reasonable to posit that the only way for women to have access to a public lounge/study area where they can lounge/study is to have one exclusive to their gender.

it is not the fault of the campus that a sufficient number of college aged males can't be trusted to leave the women alone (nor the women's fault, nor even the men really) but i think that providing a lounge area is a fairly reasonable compromise.
in fact i'd say this sort of thing is the best option, because the alternative is to ban men from hitting on women on campus.
basically you can't stop men from being annoying poon hounds, and it's kind of fucked up to even try, so providing an equitable space where women can get away from it strikes me a step from equality of freedom to lounge or study free of unwanted social pressure.

 

[Angry Floof]

No matter. The New Matriarchy is well established even though most of you are unaware of it. Things like this are minor spectacles to keep you guys focused on petty bickering while we continue planning and finalizing the list of whose testicles will remain attached. (It's OK, many of you will keep yours, depending on whether you are deemed healthy and desirable for reproduction or just kept intact for our pleasure.)

Enjoy your balls while you can, guys!

 

[SimpleDon]

The battle over Michigan State University’s women-only lounge began with a rival school’s male professor.

Mark Perry, who teaches economics at the University of Michigan’s Flint campus, had stumbled upon a news story about the 91-year-old room in MSU’s sprawling student union. “They’d written about what a great space this is for women,” Perry said. “They can go in and take a nap and not be worried about being bothered.”

He figured it couldn’t be legal. Banning men from a taxpayer-funded study area, Perry thought, could violate Title IX, a federal law meant to protect gender equality on college campuses. So he contacted the school. Nothing changed. He sent a complaint to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights in June, but the department would not accept it because Perry had not personally endured discrimination.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/28/a-male-professor-says-this-women-only-study-lounge-is-sexist-and-illegal/#comments

This is just a blurb from a midwestern state; but the opposition to ending this discrimination is perplexing. If equality doesn't mean equality, what does it mean?

It is an infringement of gender equality and a violation of the law.

On a scale of 1 to 10 of the seriousness of the crime and my desire to see it end it doesn't rate even a one.

When you achieve a more balanced and mature worldview you will realize the same thing. Save your energies for issues that reveal more about the flaws of the people involved than about the pettiness and biases of the people who are doing the complaining.

 

[bleubird]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCGMInJ7jYE
He was a wise man.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

Well the joke's on them. It's been ruled legal to use a camera to look up their skirts on public property. So they thought they had a safe place to run away but no public place is safe.

 

[Deepak]

So a men's only lounge would be okay, too? At what point do we become animal farm?

If the point was a class, you'd be marked absent today.

Why did the women have a separate lounge in the first place?

Personally I'm all for having a separate lounge for the dudes who are terrified of women.

 

[whichphilosophy]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/28/a-male-professor-says-this-women-only-study-lounge-is-sexist-and-illegal/#comments

This is just a blurb from a midwestern state; but the opposition to ending this discrimination is perplexing. If equality doesn't mean equality, what does it mean?

It is illegal and a violation of Title IX.

Maybe allocating an additional room for men only would be one solution.

 

[Angry Floof]

If the point was a class, you'd be marked absent today.

Why did the women have a separate lounge in the first place?

Personally I'm all for having a separate lounge for the dudes who are terrified of women.

I agree. It's also another good way to keep them grouped together where we can keep an eye on them.

 

[Bronzeage]

It is illegal and a violation of Title IX.

Maybe allocating an additional room for men only would be one solution.

If only this solution came with an actual problem.

 

[dismal]

It is illegal and a violation of Title IX.

Maybe allocating an additional room for men only would be one solution.

It's not clear to me how adding another lounge that would also discriminate based on gender would fix the problem of having a lounge that illegally discriminates based on gender.

 

[Angry Floof]

Maybe allocating an additional room for men only would be one solution.

It's not clear to me how adding another lounge that would also discriminate based on gender would fix the problem of having a lounge that illegally discriminates based on gender.

It's not a problem. Don't worry your pretty little head about it.

 

[laughing dog]

Maybe if some people understood what title IX means, some of this discussion would be on point. Title IX does not prohibit gender-specific facilities. The existence of gender-specific restrooms and locker rooms on campuses are evidence supporting that interpretation. Title IX requires proportionately not equality. For example, if the ratio of women to men in a school is 3 to 2, then the slots available for intercollegiate competition should be close to 3 to 2 in favor of women.

Hence, the existence of a room dedicated to one gender, in and of itself, is evidence of nothing.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

It is illegal and a violation of Title IX.

i completely disagree, because "equality" in this case means equal capacity to sit in a room and lounge and/or study, and given the nature of a sufficient percentage of men at a college age (and the general zeitgeist of about campus life in this country right now) when it comes to having issues with leaving women alone, i think it's quite reasonable to posit that the only way for women to have access to a public lounge/study area where they can lounge/study is to have one exclusive to their gender.

it is not the fault of the campus that a sufficient number of college aged males can't be trusted to leave the women alone (nor the women's fault, nor even the men really) but i think that providing a lounge area is a fairly reasonable compromise.
in fact i'd say this sort of thing is the best option, because the alternative is to ban men from hitting on women on campus.
basically you can't stop men from being annoying poon hounds, and it's kind of fucked up to even try, so providing an equitable space where women can get away from it strikes me a step from equality of freedom to lounge or study free of unwanted social pressure.

I believe many people here are playing into stereotypes. You can be harassed by females as well as males. Study spaces are meant for study and anyone bothering another person will be kicked out. Same with lounges.