Women face bigger issues on campus than language

TO THE EDITOR:

I’ve been impressed by the dialogue generated by the organizers of last week’s teach-in.

But I was frustrated to read Leah Joesphson’s recent letter to the editor (“DTH publishing letters not accurately reflecting issue,” March 25). Josephson’s letter raises the baseless claim that DTH Editor-in-Chief Andrew Dunn’s response to the teach-in was “hastily written … with little to no background on feminist concerns.”

Ultimately, her argument rests on the flawed premise that because Dunn refused to implement the gender-neutral language policy, he is therefore ignorant of the struggles of LGBTQ-identified people and women. Such polarizing, groundless arguments only isolate potential supporters.

Dunn was trying to express that members of the campus community should devote their energies to addressing issues that truly remedy the problem at hand.

The teach-in organizers’ silence on the recent provost selection was surprising. The selection committee narrowed the pool to four white male finalists with a science background. In the end, it decided upon none of the three — and instead opted for Bruce Carney, another white male with a science background.

The group might also direct its focus on the Department of Women’s Studies. The Sexuality Studies minor is offered through this department. The association perpetuates the fallacious notion that homosexuality is inherently tied to femininity.

The campus should work toward initiatives that actually dissolve barriers.

Erik Davies
Sophomore
Public Policy