by Maya Koeppen ‘17

A young guy walks into my fourth period Women’s Studies class with a few of his male friends and takes a seat. Besides the fact that he was obviously skipping another class, it was clear from the conversation that followed that he should be enrolled in this course. The topic of the day was menstruation and the controversy surrounding the “tampon tax” present in 48 states. Discussion took a turn, and the location of the uterus was called into question. The same guy calls out, “It’s here, right?” in all seriousness and points slightly below his chest. News flash: that’s not where it’s located. It is actually located between the bladder and the rectum, in the pelvic area of the female reproductive system.

Laughter and dirty glares ensued from my female peers, and I could not help but think this was part of a much larger issue. While I’m not saying every guy should know the precise location of the cervix or the ins and outs of the menstrual cycle, I think it’s important that men possess at least some form of awareness of women’s bodies, and more so just women in general.

In my class of 23 there are five male students. Five. A fact that I find not so much shocking as I do slightly concerning. When the typical adolescent male imagines a women’s studies class, his first notion is likely a class full of raging feminists eager to bash men with every breath. Consequently, they avoid or completely discredit the course’s true intentions without giving it the chance it deserves. In reality, men can benefit from the class just as much as women, and here’s why.

Women’s Studies at its core focuses on the progression of women as a sex as well as modern-day gender issues and discrepancies. While both matters seem largely female-centered at a glance, they should be equally important to men. If men are not properly educated on gender inequalities, they grow up ignorant to the daily problems of more than half of the U.S. population. Not to mention, that of their mothers, sisters, and future wives.

Women can also benefit from having male peers in the class, as it offers a fresh perspective to what could be an otherwise biased discussion. It is important to note that women’s rights and treatment is not a one-sided issue, nor is it a battle that women wish to fight alone. For that reason, I appreciate the five male students in my class because, while they are often the first ones to crack jokes, they are always open to the discussions, even if they cannot fully relate to everything that they entail.

So whether you’re a male advocate for women’s rights or are just interested in learning about the female sex, this is the class for you. After all, you cannot spell women without men.