Planning for Masculinity Discussions Underway

December 4, 2007

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.

Do you have uncertainties about your, or another’s, manhood? Want to get cojones-deep in questions on the male essence? Take note. Next semester, the Intercultural Center will host a series of masculinity discussions, questioning the construction of male identity. Involving a collection of student groups, the discussions hope to heighten campus awareness on problems related to modern society and its influences on men.

The idea for a masculinity forum was initially proposed by a small group of QSA students concerned that the male community did not have adequate opportunities to discuss race and gender issues. Ariel Horowitz, who currently leads preparations, was also concerned: “There is a community of women here who talk about identity politics, but as for the larger male student body, there have been few gatherings on the topic.”

Sample advertisement

Discussions, then, will feature a large array of inquiry, mostly centered on what it means to be a man, both personally and socially. In addition, the series will include open and closed forums. This format will allow both sexes the chance to talk with each other separately on the issues, as well as provide the means for broader discussion.

While QSA has played a large role in facilitating planning on the forum—using previous women’s gender conversations as models—Horowitz emphasizes that the discussions are intended for the entire student body. “We want it to be the campus’ masculinity discussions, not just QSA’s.” In this light, the planning committee has made an effort to reach out to the larger campus community. Rafael Zapata, dean of the IC, will lead special discussions; contact with male student groups—like DU, Phi-Psi, and ABLE—has been a significant priority.

Scheduling for the discussions is still underway; look for more information after Winter Break. If you would like to get involved in planning process of the discussion, contact Ariel Horowitz at ahorowi1.

0 Comments Leave a Reply

  1. Aaaaah, I really don’t lead the planning. It’s a group effort, really really truly! And yeah, specs are welcome at almost any discussion on campus, as far as I know.

  2. ie, “allowed”, “permitted”, “would not be forcibly removed from the premises if said spec were to come to the discussion”.

    silly.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous Story

Where Are the Essie Mae’s Bag Dinners?

Next Story

Sports Update 12/4

Latest from Sports

Swinging Through the Glass Ceiling 

The Swarthmore men’s golf team has welcomed numerous women as walk-on players over the years. Currently there are two female players competing on the men’s team: Ava Chon ’26 and Bori Chung ’28. Chon is a senior from Princeton, NJ, who went

Athlete of the Week: Melissa Eyer ’28

Melissa Eyer '28 runs the volleyball court with her elite ball control and defensive capabilities. Read on to hear more about her fourth Centennial Athlete of the Week selection!

Garnet Soccer Takes on Johns Hopkins in Baltimore

On Sept. 20, Swarthmore men’s and women’s soccer packed their bags and boarded buses for Baltimore to play their long-time conference rival Johns Hopkins University. The day began Centennial Conference play for both Garnet teams. The men came into their game carrying

The Best Quotes of Jalen Hurts

We live in a current age of heat checks, lyric drops, motivational apps and posters, and speeches about “locking in” or “walking through fire.” And then there is Jalen Hurts — the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, an outright contemporary Nietzsche,
Previous Story

Where Are the Essie Mae’s Bag Dinners?

Next Story

Sports Update 12/4

The Phoenix

Don't Miss