Why is there a "Women's Studies" category and no "Men's"? Do you think there's a need for women to study men?

Question

Or, is this your proof (clue) that men are so basic that you don't need a special study or a separate brain to understand us? And...if this is the case, why do so many women still try to complicate the crap out of guys?

Answer 1

*speechless*

Answer 2

When you bring up a topic such as this one you're going to have an ongoing debate between the women and men because of the different views. The worst part is there is no right or wrong answer. whether we want to believe it or not men and women are both uniquely complicated, and whether or not you want to answer or ignore the simple truth is, you don't know what it's like to be anything other than yourself. So you can study something for 10 minutes or 50 years, and never understand it, or you can learn to get along and get rid of the lines that divide.

Answer 3

Women's studies is something "psychological" or about how women "are." It's an attempt to rectify a basic problem of our academic system. When you say there's no "men's studies" you're actually wrong--"normal" history, psychology, science, literature are all taught from a "men's studies" perspective. And this isn't just as simple as the fact that these fields focus on the accomplishments of men; rather, it is in the fundamental way that they are structured. Take history for instance. The classic view of history is the so called "Great Man" theory--that is, the idea that history is driven primarily by the actions of Important Individuals who somehow shape the destiny of most of the world. While that view is held in contempt by most modern historians, the view that replaced it--that of competition between different groups for limited resources (be they economic, political, etc.) is also a phallocentric perspective, that assumes that conflict is the driving force of historical change. Women's studies seeks to address a different perspective, considering feminist analyses of a variety of different fields. While it is an extremely diverse field, some of its hallmarks are an attempt to give life to the Other (those marginalized by traditional social, political, and academic systems), a strong vein of self-reflexion, a recognition that "the personal is political," and a recognition of the body (that the body and mind are not separate, that the body has knowledge just like the mind does, that the political and social realities have physical and material consequences enacted on human bodies, and most often on the bodies of the marginalized).

Answer 4

Women's Studies, is studying the history, behavior, psychology, sociology, philosophy, etc. of women as a means of "empowering women".

There are many history/psychology/sociology/philosophy/etc., books written by men and about men in the past. Many were written as a means of "keeping women down" and "controlled", while they had their little old boys' clubs.

So, i'd like to know why you're asking that question? Is it just to get attention? Is it an attempt to disway Women's Studies? Is it just a reason to whine? Is it another attempt to turn men against women? Why?

Take care and Happy Mayday!! (the real labour day!)
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Answer 5

You act as if Women's Studies gives you an insight into the workings of the female mind. It doesn't. It gives you an insight into the history of the injustices women have had to go through over the years on account of gender. Men haven't had half of these.

Answer 6

Yes there is a need for women to study men. Different planets, remember.

Answer 7

........

Men make up most of the history when it comes to the study of many different things. In the relative history of things women are underrepresented, that's why it exists. As for men I think there could be effective classes but I do not think there is enough study, like the affects of society on men in the 21 century or the affects of female "liberation" on men etc etc. Some universities have classes focused on how certain ideas such as masculinity, or studies and their affects on men/boys.

Answer 8

No I think your reading too much into it. It's pretty much about demand and as theres plenty of budding feminists out there womens studies is a popular category.

If you write to yahoo and threaten them with discrimination then they may just add a mens studies??

Answer 9

Not really. Women and Men are complicated and interesting that is why we are drawn to each other. If their was not these complications and interest men and women would not be attracted to each other. That is simply the great design.

Answer 10

Interesting question...almost as interesting as the notion, in undergrad, my "women's psyc" course had a 170 page paperback textbook. If you've ever love a woman (mom, sister, spouse, etc), you can't help but to laugh!!!!!

On to your question - here's my "basic man answer": are we different - YES! Should we accept these differences - YES! Does understanding these differences necessarily help to relate to one another better - NO! If you think about it, if you're trying to "relate" you're not being yourself. Why not just accept we're not meant to understand everything?

Answer 11

No, we can just study different breeds of DOGS to understand men. Sorry but my boyfriend just pissed me off. Men are very basic and their animalistic nature is quite simple. They like the thrill of the chase. They are very challenging and like to play games and enjoy compitition not always physical in nature. And all the while, men can be duped and led astray. Women are crazy and irrational but its this immunity to sane thinking that makes women so powerful. A woman can even overpower a man. Once she learns to control her thoughts ways and actions, therein lies power. Once a man starts becoming more feminine, as some men do, then "women's studies" would suffice to understand him as well.

I must also say that I agree with some of the previous answers. We all know HIStory but HER story has yet to be told.