Why do we have Women's Studies but not Men's Studies?

Answer 1

Women are science and literature, men arent. They are test objects.

Answer 2

Your question assumes a definition of Women's Studies that is not correct. Women's Studies in not just the study of women. Women's Studies is the study of ALL of society (yes, including men) through the lens of academic feminist and gender theories, with an emphasis on subjects, events, and interpretations surrounding gender that don't get much play in other departments. While many Women's Studies classes focus on women, you will never find a Women's Studies class that excludes men entirely because men are just as much a part of the binary gender system as women.

There are a few Men's Studies programs coming out, but since men's history, biology, and sociology are often taught in regular history, biology, and sociology classes and there is no system of theory for men comprable to the vast scholarship on feminist theory, Men's Studies focuses on gender theory.... which is already a part of Women's Studies, so most colleges would consider a Men's Studies program redundent and wouldn't fund them.

Some places have solved this problem by renaming thier program Gender Studies, but a lot of old time (and big time) Women's Studies people have mixed feelings about this move because they feel that the emphasis on teaching the roles of women in and around other fields (ie history, biology, sociology, etc) where they have been traditionally been left out will be lost. So that is a whole sticky issue too.

There is however a growing field of Masculinity Studies, which is sorta like taking feminist theory framework and applying it to issues of masculinity, but it's not really Men's Studies persay. We'll see where that goes in the future.

So for now, it is a lot more complicated then simply saying "it's not fair that there is women's studies but not men's studies". And with anything academic, it is tied into power, funding, and how much support exists on individual campuses.

Answer 3

It is about history. Long ago (like in 1950) women were not allowed to do a lot of things. There were not equal rights in employement. So it's a special field. Most of what is studied in universities in the regular classes was originated and invented by men. That is changing but women's studies was invented to get around the fact that in the past universities taught mostly stuff written and invented by men.

Answer 4

To constitute having Men's Studies, Men would have to have issues. Women have the monopoly on issues

Answer 5

Women have had much more to deal with in their histories. Such as suffrage, getting into the work place, being considered property, and not to mention the women's health issues. The lives of women are much more complicated. Men have always had it all. Women have always gotten the short end of the stick.

Answer 6

Because women are more complicated than men. Think about it..men are always trying to figure out women, but women usually think they know all about men.

Answer 7

because up until a few years ago every thing WAS about men. now we study great things WOMEN do. if both are taught on even terms i no problem

Answer 8

Women are more interesting than men. Lol.

Answer 9

Because men already study themselves too much!! LOL

Answer 10

because men aren't complicated...
they are simple to work out
no study needed

Answer 11

Someone else answered this way, but think about what's happening: feminism is no longer about equal rights; it is about superior rights. Many women want MORE than equality.