Women and gender studies, commonly known as women's studies at some universities, is a recent major option. In the wake of so much political and social change in this country, women and gender studies has become an intriguing topic of study because of the implications it now has on everyday life. Although this major is one that teaches a wide range of facts about otherwise unknown parts of history and marginalized peoples' lives, it gets a bad reputation on many university campuses. It is known as an easy major with almost all of the population being tumblr feminists. Even though this is incredibly untrue, this idea is common knowledge among most university students and the negative implications of this “knowledge” is damaging to ourselves and others. To think of women studies in this light is to do yourself a great disservice. The study of gender is something that improves everyone’s life. Not just women. Not just men. Both of these groups, and everyone in between.
1. It fits into almost every major.
Women and gender studies has variety that just isn’t present in other majors. Most of the classes, while counting towards a degree in Women’s Studies can also count as a Sociology class depending on your major. Not only that, but many degrees require diversity or culture credits. Women's studies classes can almost always fill these required courses for many majors and there are tons of options to choose from. Whether you want to learn about sexuality and why we have a gender binary, pop culture and how it influences our daily lives, or the history of a marginalized group that doesn’t make it into most textbooks, women's studies is beneficial.
2. These classes help you make informed political and social decisions.
The study of marginalized people is so present in women and gender studies because it is a degree based on inclusivity, compassion, and understanding for all people. For this reason, many groups are studied because of their marginalization. This includes courses on different races, religions, and areas of the world. In an America that is now becoming more progressive in the way that we see others, we would benefit from learning the reasons that people are marginalized, how social systems of oppression work and untimately how to fix them. These histories helps guide decisions about what social and political reforms or legislation could not only be beneficial for you, but for the other members in society that many forget or simply don’t care enough about.
3. It enables you to be a compassionate member of society.
Although no one can teach a human being how to be compassionate, women's studies shows the monstrosities done to groups of people that are not talked about in depth in history books. When a person learns the ins and outs of the ways people have been oppressed and broken down, it helps them realize that this could just as easily have happened to them. In a society where we have the common mindset not to care if it’s not affecting you, this major and these classes show the way that this ideology is wrong.
4. It’s not just about women or gender.
Although the bulk of the required classes are about sexuality, women or gender, there are so many more to choose from with elective options. There are classes about race relations, muslims in the modern world, violence in the home and how violence shapes our culture, just to name a few. In women’s studies there is a class for everyone, no matter what or who you want to learn about.
5. It’s for everyone.
Men, women and everyone in between are welcome and accepted into women’s studies classes. These classes have the largest array of people I have ever seen in any classroom. So many genders, sexualities, religions and backgrounds are represented. In many ways, these classes are thought of as only having women in them. This is simply false. Women's studies have many men (at least on CU Boulder’s progressive campus) that are actively engaged and participating in the conversation. Women in the class welcome these men with open arms. The people in these classes want men to be a part of the conversation. Not to belittle, blame, or gang up on them but to hear their opinions and views because most of these people that study this area believe that this gender dichotomy works for no one.
