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20
JUDGMENT CALL #3:
HOW IMPORTANT ARE MEN’S ISSUES AND MEN’S MOVEMENTS?
Men’s movements and efforts to raise awareness of men’s issues are relatively
recent developments in the United States. In the 1960s when the second wave of
American feminism began, there were no identifiable men’s movements. Men who
believed that the existing gender ideology oppressed men as well as women generally
defined themselves as male feminists or just plain feminists. Only in the last two decades
of the 20th century did we see a number of distinct men’s movements emerge. In
different ways these movements have offered definitions of men and manhood and have
named problems and oppressions men face.
comparatively much smaller than those facing women.
What do you think? Is it legitimate to have courses in men’s studies? Are men’s
movements serving valuable purposes in our society? Consider these probes in the
course of answering the questions:
Visit some of the websites for men’s movements that are identified in the FYI
boxes in Chapter 4. After reading materials on these sites, what do you think
of men’s movements? Do you think the issues they say face men are
legitimate? Do you think they are as compelling as those facing women? Do
you or men you know identify with any of them?
What do you see as the greatest problem or source of oppression facing men
in the United States today? Is it possible to generalize about the “greatest
problem facing men” when men vary in race-ethnicity, economic status,
sexual orientation, and so forth?
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of dismantling programs in
Women’s Studies and Men’s Studies and creating programs in Gender
Studies? Does focusing on each sex and gender separately foster greater self-
reflection than would be likely with a focus on both?
To learn more about the history of men’s studies and the issues addressed in
men’s studies settings, visit the site of the American Men’s Studies
Association: http://www.mensstudies.org/
21
References
Keen, S. (1991). Fire in the Belly: On Being a Man. New York: Bantam. Read
reviews—positive and negative—of Keen’s book on Amazon.com.
Rabinowitz, F., & Cochran, S. (1994). Man Alive: A Primer of Men’s Issues.
Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
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JUDGMENT CALL #4:
SHOULD THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT BE PASSED?
The complete text of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is this: “Equality of
rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State
on account of sex.”
In 1972 the amendment was introduced into Congress and was quickly winning
Do you think the ERA should be passed? Visit the website identified below and
then consider the prompts to decide where you stand on this issue:
Debate about the ERA is not limited to the last 40 years. To read arguments for
and against the ERA that were presented in the 1920s, visit this website:
http://womhist.binghamton.edu/era/doclist.htm
What would be the value of passing the ERA? Is the amendment strictly
symbolic or would it also have material, pragmatic consequences in how
women and men live, work, and interact?
If the ERA would not necessitate any real changes, then what is the
justification for opposing it?
Does the lack of ERA’s passage mean that the United States is not committed
to equal rights for men and women?
Why did the idea of having women and men share the same bathrooms
convince many people to vote against ERA? In many other countries,
including first world countries, public restrooms are not sex-segregated.
If you wanted to become actively involved in pushing for ratification of the
ERA, what campaign strategies would you use? How would you structure
your advocacy to lessen the likelihood that another Stop ERA campaign
could succeed?
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References
Campbell, K. (1983). To be or not to be a woman. Communication Quarterly,
31, 101-108.
Davis, F. (1991). Moving the Mountain: The Women’s Movement in America
Since 1960. New York: Simon and Schuster. Go to Amazon.Com to read reviews of this
book.
Solomon, M. (1983). Stopping ERA: A pyrrhic victory. Communication
Quarterly, 31, 109-117.
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JUDGMENT CALL #5:
SHOULD SAME SEX EDUCATION BE ALLOWED IN SCHOOLS THAT
RECEIVE FEDERAL SUPPORT?
Title IX states that schools that receive federal funds cannot discriminate on the
basis of sex. Thus, schools that accept federal support must not show preference to
either sex in admission, and they must provide “equal opportunities” in school-sponsored
courses, co-curricular, and athletic activities.
Yet the law is very clear. Any school that accepts federal funds must provide
equal opportunities to students of both sexes and all races. Supporters of these laws
argue that sex-segregated education exists now and can continue to exist in private
schools, but not in schools that receive federal funding.
Is it acceptable to have sex-segregated education (classes or whole schools) when
federal support is provided? As you reflect on the question, consider these prompts and
consult the websites listed below:
Can separate education be “equal”? Is it possible that women and men are
more likely to receive an equal quality education if they are in separate
classes or schools?
To learn more about research (pro and con) on sex-segregated education and
about alternative ways of achieving gender equity in education visit this site:
http://www.now.org/issues/education/single-sex-education-
comments.html
Should federal funding be a criterion for making decisions about how
educational institutions operate?
Does historic discrimination (both legal and attitudinal) against women
justify providing special educational opportunities to girls and women today?
Is it fair to argue that there should be women only classes in science and math
because those classes benefit women, and, at the same time, to argue that
historically male institutions such as the Citadel should not be allowed to
exclude women?
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If women are admitted to formerly all-male schools, should the schools adjust
their policies and practices? The Citadel, for example, prides itself on harsh
discipline, lack of privacy, and punitive treatment of students.
To gain understanding of military institutions and how their history might affect your
judgment on the issue of admitting women, visit these websites:
Virginia Military Academy: http://www.vmi.edu/
The Citadel: http://citadel.edu/
Military Schools—Military Schools for Boys: http://www.army-
navyacademy.com/
NOW (National Organization for Women): http://www.now.org/
After entering the site, go to the issues tab and select “women in the
military.”
References
Spender, D. (1989). Invisible Women: The Schooling Scandal. London:
Women’s Press.
Sadker, M., & Sadker, D. (1994). Failing at Fairness: How America’s Schools
Shortchange Girls. New York: Simon and Schuster. Go to Amazon.Com to read
reviews of this book.
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JUDGMENT CALL #6:
SHOULD ALL WORK PLACES BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE PAID
FAMILY LEAVE TO MALE AND FEMALE EMPLOYEES?
In 1993 the Family and Medical Leave Act was passed and became law in this
country. As explained in Gendered Lives, the act states that, under certain conditions,
employers must give employees up to 12 weeks of leave for family issues and medical
problems. Your text also notes that there are some limits to the Act. Specifically,
1. The law does not apply to employers who have less than 50 workers.
2. Not all workers in 100+ worker companies are eligible for family and medical
leave. Employers may designate certain workers as “essential personnel” who
cannot be granted leave. Criteria for this designation are unclear.
3. To qualify for leave, an employee must have worked at least one year and a
minimum of 1,240 hours a year and not be in the top 10% of the company’s salary
levels.
4. Nothing in the law requires that employers pay full or partial salaries to workers
who take family and medical leave. Obviously, employees who have fewer
resources are less likely to be able to afford to take an unpaid leave.
Where do you stand on this issue? Do you think that all employers should be
required to provide paid family leave to employees? As you think about the issue, visit
the websites listed below and consider the prompts that follow.
The U.S. Department of Labor has a website that offers information on the
current Family and Medical Leave Act. To learn the specifics of this Act, visit the site at:
http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/.
Do you think it is the employers’ responsibility to pay for leaves employees take
to care for children or other family members? Is family leave different than other
benefits, such as medical insurance and disability leave that employers provide to
employees?
27
Women who work outside of the home are far more likely than men who
work outside of the home to take family leave to take care of newly born or
adopted children. Yet research demonstrates convincingly that fathers and
mothers are both important to children. Should fathers be encouraged or
required to take time off when a new child enters a family?
How do you think children would be affected if both parents took time off to
care for them and to participate in raising them?
How do you think fuller involvement of both parents in raising children
would affect society?
References
Hewlett, S. (1991).When the Bough Breaks: The Cost of Neglecting Our
Children. New York: Basic Books.
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JUDGMENT CALL #7:
WHAT’S A FAIR SHARE OF HOUSEWORK AND CHILD CARE?
Myranda and Scott have been married for four years. Both work outside of their
home, he as a real estate broker and she as a computer systems analyst. For the first three
years of their marriage Myranda and Scott managed to keep their home clean enough,
although Myranda did more housecleaning than Scott. Last year, however, they had a
child, Jackson, and the tasks at home multiplied. Now Myranda and Scott continuously
quarrel about housework and child care responsibilities. Here is a typical exchange
between them:
Myranda: I thought you were going to do the laundry when you got home.
Scott: I meant to, but I had to stay late at work. I’ll try to do it tomorrow.
Myranda: Tomorrow is no good. We are out of diapers and Jackson needs his
As you read the above exchange, did you find yourself thinking one of the
spouses was more reasonable than the other? What do you think is a fair share? To
guide your reflection, visit the website noted below and consider these prompts:
What happens when spouses or romantic partners have different standards for
what counts as a “fair share?” Myranda compares what Scott does to what she does and
thinks he’s not pulling his share. Scott compares what he does to what his own father did
and concludes he is pulling his share.
When couples agree to share responsibilities for housework and child care, should
they have equal say in the standards, or expectations, for what needs to be done and
how well it needs to be done? In other words, should the person doing a particular
task, such as dusting, have the authority to decide how it is done and to what standard
of perfection?
29
What social and personal factors might explain why more women work outside of the
home today, but a proportionate number of men have not assumed a substantial share
of homemaking and family care responsibilities?
References
Hochschild, A., with Machung, A. (1989). The second shift: Working parents
and the revolution at home. New York: Viking/Penguin. Go to Amazon.Com to read
reviews of this book.
Suitor, J. (1991). Marital quality and satisfaction with the division of household
labor. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 53, 221-230.
Wood, J. T. (1996). But I Thought You Meant. . .: Misunderstandings in Human
Communication. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield. (Read Chapter 17, “A Fair Share,”
pages 224-239).
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JUDGMENT CALL #8:
WERE MEDIA PORTRAYALS OF BRANDI CHASTAIN SEXIST?
In July of 1999 the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team won the World Cup. In the
moment of victory after kicking the winning shot, U.S. player Brandi Chastain ripped off
her shirt and waved it at the crowd with a black sports bra as the only clothing above her
waist. Photos of Chastain in her sports bra were featured on the covers of Newsweek and
Do you think media were sexist in choosing to feature photos of Chastain in her
sports bra? If possible, view the cover of Newsweek’s July 19, 1999 issue. The following
prompts may be useful in thinking through the question.
Is it different for a woman athlete to rip off her shirt in the throes of victory than for a
man athlete to do so? Tennis star Pete Sampras removed his shirt on the court, and
nobody commented.
Does it matter whether Chastain ripped off her shirt because of “momentary
insanity,” as she claimed, or as a calculated move to seize media’s attention, as
Gearino and others imply?
Is an athlete whose muscles and strength are visible and who is wearing a sports bra a
sexualized image? Is it the same kind of image as a woman wearing a lacy bra?
Aside from the fact that cover photos of Chastain showed her in the sports bra, was
the shot of her a better symbol of the victory and the success of the women’s team
than shots of Scurry deflecting a ball or Hamm playing in field would have been?
References
Gearino, G. D. (1999, 20 July). Soccer’s winning streak. Raleigh News and
Observer, p. 1E.
Newsweek. (1999, July 19). Cover.
Sports Illustrated (1999, July) Cover.
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JUDGMENT CALL #9:
WHO CAN USE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BATHROOMS?
In her book, The Alchemy of Race and Rights (1991) Patricia Williams describes
an experience she had while teaching law in California. One of her students, whom she
refers to only as S., began law school as a man, but was very unhappy as a man. S. had a
How would you resolve this issue? The following websites and prompts should
guide your reflection:
What does it mean to be transgendered or transsexual? How you view the case of S.
and an appropriate resolution of it depend on your knowledge of S. and others like
her. If you’d like to learn more, visit either or both of these websites:
http://www.ftmi.org/ or http://www.itpeople.org.
Is sex or gender more important in the controversy? What gender was S. both before
and after the sex-change procedures?
Is sex or gender a property of individuals?
How is sex defined—chromosomes (S.’s did not change), reproductive organs (at
least some of S.’s did change), hormones, secondary sex characteristics (facial hair),
and dress?
Who decides what is appropriate and inappropriate for each sex and each gender?
Should others have the right to define who a person is and what she or he can and
cannot do?
References
Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity.
New York: Routledge.
Williams, P. (1991). The Alchemy of Race and Rights. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press. Go to Amazon.Com to read reviews of this book.
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JUDGMENT CALL #10
SHOULD PRO-CHOICE FEMINISTS EXPAND THEIR FOCUS BEYOND
ABORTION AND TOWARD REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS?
A woman’s right to safe and legal abortion has been a central issue in feminisms since the
start of the second wave; in fact, the phrase “pro-choice” came out of some second-wave
feminists’ efforts to legalize abortion. Today, many mainstream feminist organizations,
including the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Feminist Majority
Foundation, advocate for abortion rights. However, not all feminists are comfortable
with the focus on abortion rights or the phrase “pro-choice.” Not surprisingly, both the
term and the focus are unwelcome to feminists who identify as “pro-life.” Many women
of color feminists also are opposed to the focus and term, although for different reasons.
Women of color feminists argue that the focus on abortion and the use of the term
“choice” reflect the experiences of white, upper-middle-class women to the exclusion of
What do you think of the suggestion that feminist organizations turn their
attention away from abortion rights and toward reproductive justice?
* Why do you think feminist organizations have been so focused on
abortion rights?
* Do you think that the term “choice” obscures attention to issues and
concerns of women who are not white and middle-class? Why or why not?
* What are the possible benefits and pitfalls associated with turning away
from a focus on abortion rights and toward a focus on reproductive
justice?
* Do you think that a turn toward “reproductive justice” and related terms
will bring pro-life feminists into the fold? Why or why not?
31.
Palczewski, C. H. (2010). Reproductive Freedom: Transforming the Discourse of
Choice. In Sara Hayden and D. Lynn O’Brien Hallstein, (eds.), Contemplating Maternity
