Dear r/MensRights: Why do universities always supply women's centers, centers for various minorities, but there are very few men's centers?

gagaoolala · 2010-07-27T09:35:36+00:00

My vague understanding is that many of the minority cultural centers were created in the 70's, and now there is resistance to closing them. Women's centers specifically are also relatively proactive about supporting other causes (e.g. LGBT issues) which lets them stay relevant.

hmasing · 2010-07-27T11:57:21+00:00

When I asked this very question when I was in college in the 90s, I was informed that 'the entire institution is a men's center, designed for men and geared to support men and their needs.'

coughBullshitcough

YouveBeenOneUpped · 2010-07-27T19:46:13+00:00

Counter argument to most of what's being said here. Men, specifically white men, have never been an oppressed group by any society. We've split hairs (look at that Jewish/Communist/Atheist/Gay/X white male! Get him!) but never oppressed males as a broader spectrum group.

Because of this we've never come together as a group to protect our rights. There was no male sufferage. There was no white male underground railroad. There is no Man Defense League or Man Panthers or the like simply because we've never needed one in the past. None of these exist simply because they've never needed them to and men have survived semi-self reliant because no society has seen us as a lesser entity not worthy of voting or valued at 3/5 of a human being.

When you don't see a Men's center, you should feel three things. First and foremost, be thankful that you have never been so oppressed that you feel the need to create one yourself because you need support from the historical violence and ire society has put upon you. Two, find new ways to grow closer to other PEOPLE (not just men) as to ensure that you never feel oppressed--people don't oppress or abuse those they know, respect, and value. Lastly, suck it up and be happy that those recently oppressed (and to varying degrees and locations no longer) groups have created the support system they need. When the need to support those groups disappears, so to will the infrastructure they've built for each other.

Tl;dr: treat people with respect and be happy your father and his were never oppressed for having balls.

ageoflife · 2010-07-27T17:23:54+00:00

I never understood this myself. I also always wondered why the major was called "women's and gender studies" Instead of just "gender studies." Or, if they are going to call the major that, they should have a separate men's studies major I suppose.

2010-07-28T16:16:23+00:00

This happened at my school (Alfred University.) An alumnae made a $10mil donation to open up the Women's Leadership Center. Honestly, it never fazed me until I began listening to several of my female friend discussing gender. It seemed the center had pushed the age-old trifle of "70 cents to every man's dollar," "poor female representation in the media," etc. It wasn't until I began writing a term paper on modern masculinity (It was a paper about how male representation in media has resulted in a radical change in how we define masculinity.) It was that I found myself really upset. At one point, I mentioned creating an Alfred Chapter of the MIP (Men Initiating Progress) because no attention was placed upon men's rights and males at my school were misrepresented (more than 3/4ths of all of the campus organizations were run by females.) I was upset the center only accepted females exclusively and only addressed female issues at sponsored round table events. However, creating the club was a pipe dream because, well to be honest, many of the males at my school really didn't care, and, I felt it would become a group fueled by misogyny. Plus, I ran into a stiff opposition. Several of the females in the center found the idea "offensive" and "sexist" because "men aren't discriminated against." Needless to say, here I am now, regretting my decision to not start that club. Le sigh

SquirrelBoy · 2010-07-27T15:57:33+00:00

American University recently went through a big uproar around last October about this. A Womans Resource Center was being built on campus.

AU adds resource centers - Nov 1, 2009

Well this didn't go over well with me and a few others. Why are we building a WRC when we're just giving veterans a "resource network?" The main argument against the WRC was that there was already a club devoted to it, Woman's Initiative. Not to mention all the services available at the WRC were already present on campus at the Student Health Center, Public Safety and the Counseling center. So it created a system of redundancy.

Eventually what happened was that the feminists shouted the loudest, the WRC was built and given it's own budget and Womans Initiative only lost $1,000 of their budget, down from $23,000 to $22,000.

Other Links:

Letters to the Editor - Nov 4, 2009

Campus Debates Need for Woman's Center - Nov 11, 2009 (I'm quoted in this article)

THOSE OPPOSED

Robert Ruszczyk, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, said he would not support the creation of a women’s resource center as it is currently proposed.

“Mostly, it’s because from what I’ve seen the people who are setting up the WRC are aiming for it to be only a women’s resource center,” Ruszczyk said. “It’s not opened up to the general student body, and the amount of money that is being spent on it can be spent elsewhere.”

Though the voices of the opposition exist on campus, the movement against the WRC is largely fragmented in comparison with the consolidated voice of the WI. Ruszczyk attributed the lack of organization to fear of being mislabeled by opponents.

“If we organize against it, we’re labeled sexist and chauvinistic when we’re really not,” Ruszczyk said.

Afterwards I was contacted by Amanda Hess of "The Sexist" to be interviewed, but I declined.

Feminist — err, women’s center wastes money - Nov 15, 2009 (This Columnist was later forced to resigned for being a "rape apologist." See this and the aftermath.)

Letters to the Editor - Nov 15, 2009

Letters to the Editor - Nov 18, 2009

Women’s Initiative takes $1,000 decrease in budget for coming year

Edit: Spelling. If there are anymore let me know.

2010-07-27T21:36:11+00:00

I think it has to do with men on universities getting stalked, raped, knocked up, and sexually harassed in some form or another at a much lower rate then women. Many universities were once men-only (or at least the student body was hugely disproportionately male) and women's centers were established to address issues that women believe were not being taken seriously enough.

Most universities have student medical or counseling services of which men can take advantage if he can recognize he's depressed and might be suicidal.

Not that I think there shouldn't be men's centers as well, but what compelling issues (affecting specifically or predominantly men that cannot be handled existing university services) would require university resources dedicated to establishing a men's center?

That's not meant to trivialize any such issues, I just don't know what they are. Perhaps the police, ombudsman's office, and student medical/counselling services have become evenhanded enough to eliminate any need for women's centers, though I doubt that's the case on most campuses.

kog13 · 2010-07-27T13:20:15+00:00

Because if everyone who's not white, or a man is a minority, then clearly middle class white men are the majority.

2010-07-27T20:37:13+00:00

Hetero Sexual resources and information? What are you? A HOMOPHOBE!

White resources? What are you ? A RACIST?!?!?!?

Male studies? What are you? A SEXIST PIG!?!?!?!!??

Everyone else, we'll be serving you tax dollars with bagels and donuts at the university center if you meet one of the following 2 criteria:

1) You are not from the United stated or Canada.

2) If you are from USA or Canada, you are not a straight white male.

stellella · 2010-07-27T15:29:37+00:00

Oppressed groups get support centers. Final Answer.

jkaska · 2010-07-27T09:38:43+00:00

Not much to say, but your post inspired me to tell this story

jackalcackle · 2010-07-28T03:23:24+00:00

Because there's very few men at university these days! Cackle cackle!

Title	Dear r/MensRights: Why do universities always supply women's centers, centers for various minorities, but there are very few men's centers?
Author	Lewisham
Upvotes	12
Comments	48
Date	July 27, 2010 8:24 AM UTC (15 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/cu4yy/dear_rmensrights_why_do_universities_always/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/dear-rmensrights-why-do-universities-always-supply.1048445 https://theredarchive.com/post/1048445

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