. at UNBC with

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8 over THE EDGE - Wednesday, November 30 , 1994

Imaginary threats

Editor,

I read the two letters
regarding the Women's Centre
increasing
dismay. If I interpret the writers
correctly, a principle concern is
the perception that the Women's
Caucus is hostile towards males.
Let me assure them that this is
not the case; I and my 16 month
old attended the potluck in Fort
George Park. Perhaps at his
age, my son's inherent gender
might be in doubt (I can't attest
to his sexuality as yet) but no
knives, verbal or otherwise,
were wielded at me simply for
being male. The personal threat
the writers seem to feel may be
fualed by watching too many
variations of Basically Fatal
Attractive Instincts, or some

- such nonsense in the "woman as

(sexual) predator" genre.

In one of my classes I
recently encountered the view
expressed by Mr. Malcolm that
an opinion cannot be wrong.
However, an opinion § can
certainly be questionable if it is
based on fallacious assumptions
or incomplete information, and
is generally contradicted by
evidence. . One truth, as
witnessed by the upcoming
anniversary of the Montreal
massacre, is that women are
overwhelmingly the victims of
violence perpetrated by men
(but of course, not all men). Is
this an example where women
should blame themselves, or is
this an unsubstantiated claim of
oppression and sexism?

Both writers may be sincere
in their belief in equality and
would therefore not want any
exclusive club, group or
activity. However, any number
of activities sanstioned by the
university have the effect of
being exclusive, e.g. the
football club. Its rules may not

nature it will do so. Therein lies
the subtlety of the debate we
face: how exactly to define
equal treatment or equality.
Those who have benefited most
from the existing system usually
feel the status quo is fair. After
all, what experience do they
have that it is otherwise? If the
writers are sincere about
contributing further to this
debate, perhaps they will go

back and question their

assumptions and

preconceptions, before joining .
in again.

Yours sincerely,

Will Low

Lecturer, Economics

Programme

Editor's note: The Football
Club is not an exclusionary
organization and has no gender
distinctions. They have one
woman on their team and
encourage female participation

The feminist threat

Editor,

I have just read two letters
in your second issue which
identify a dire threat to the
integrity and perhaps, the very
existence, of the University
from a quarter that I had not
suspected. I refer to the
FEMINIST THREAT. A
coterie of militant women has
appropriated a cubbyhole unto
itself from which men are
excluded! Imagine men being
excluded from part of a
university! (Of course it is not
relevant that until relatively
recently women were excluded
from universities altogether.)
Al least this women's retreat has
a glass wall so that men can

observe for themselves that

.

nor satanic rituals performed.

My conception of a
university is a place where
people have a chance, perhaps
the only chance in their lives, to
be exposed to a free flow of
ideas. I think that any group of
like-minded individuals should
be allowed, nay, encouraged to
form and make its thoughts and
concerns felt. If these women
feel a common concern, let
them form their group and
exchange ideas and whatever
else they want to do. If the men
want to do the same, let them;
who cares? If I join a club, I
expect its meetings to be free of
people who do not share our
interests. If women have
common concerns, they should

Letters to the Editor

Women's Centre is a logical consequence

Editor,

Congratulations to the
Women's Center for so
quickly and effectively
putting together an
organization essential to
UNBC's well-being.

Some men appear to be
angry or hurt that they are
excluded from the Women's
Center. Yet surely we can
agree that groups of people
should have the right to meet
among themselves. I
belonged to a _ university
organization, Men Against
Rape, that did not include
women in its meetings,and to
my knowledge not a single
women ever complained
about it. It is particularly
important for women, long
the targets of male
dominance and male
violence, to have at least one
place on campus to be
together.

Some men are also upset

be able to join together without
the intrusion of men who do not
share those concerns or
problems. Add to this that
many of those concerns and
problems may be caused by
men, and they have very valid
reasons for wanting a space of
their own. Another obvious
reason for excluding men is that
there just might be times when
women want to have a serious
discussion without some goof
trying to hit on them.

Without trying to stifle the
free flow if ideas that I have just
encouraged, I suggest that those
men eho feel so threatened by
these women lift their sights and
observe the great dangers to our
society and way of ligfe. How

that members of the Women's
Center are talking about how
men oppress women. Yet we
all profit from such insights.
Feminist critiques of male
dominance have added
immeasureably to the quality
of my life and have made me
a better teacher, researcher,
husband, friend, and father.
Women's anger is a
logical consequence of male
dominance. Being a strong
and compassionate man
requires listening to and
respecting that anger, not
trying to silence it.
Yours,
David del May

Yy

US

about devoting some of that

energy and vitriol to protesting

the dismantling and sale of

Canada or the destruction of our
social fabric?

Yours,

James Lougheryy

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