Foreword
Hello, dear reader. As the title may or may not suggest, this is a follow-up article to “Is Gender Studies “Lindy”?”.
There was, apparently, a lot of controversy surrounding this first article. The details behind said controversy, however, simply extended to the fact that "people were upset" with what was said.
This is not an apology. This follow-up is intended to clarify my thoughts and opinion on the matter, and hopefully articulate the point I was trying to make with the first article. It will also include sections of an interview I conducted with Ms. Moffatt, ISB's Gender Studies teacher for the 2021-22 school year.
Just to be completely clear, this article is, just as the last one was, MY OPINION. I do not expect anyone to agree with me in the slightest, especially with the current sociopolitical climate we are currently living in. In the eyes of public opinion, my opinion was and still is rather controversial. I like to believe that it is simply an analytical opinion on the topic, determined from research and personal experience, however I understand if others may feel differently. No matter the case, I still see my opinion as something worth sharing.
Censorship
I feel this is very important to address first and foremost.
No matter your thoughts or feelings on the first article, it was nearly removed from PantherNation in its entirety without me even knowing about it. Below is a complete timeline of events that happened back in late March.
Whether or not you agree with the near-takedown of the article is up to you, but this is an article I put time and effort into researching and writing, no matter how good or bad it may have turned out in the end, only to almost have it wordlessly disappear not even after its first week of publication.
A Summary of Original Intent
In the original article, I intended to answer the question: Is Gender Studies Lindy? Put simply, is Gender Studies something that will persist into our civilization’s future? Will it continue to exist 50, 100, 500 years from now, or will it simply fall into irrelevance after a decade or so?
Upon thinking back on the question, I have since broken it into two different aspects: The class and the discussion.
Is Gender Studies, as a Class, Lindy?
Ms. Moffatt says:
To be honest, I wish classes like Gender Studies didn’t have to exist, and I think the framework from which we’ve been teaching the social sciences in humanities tends to leave many marginalized groups out of the narrative. And so the real reason behind classes like Gender Studies is to bring that narrative to light… with the hopes that narrative will not just be an add-on in a class but that it will be integrated within all of our humanities classes. So that’s not just about gender, that’s about any marginalized groups and the intersections of different groups of people or individuals… And I said this actually in a meeting, that I wish we didn’t have to have a Gender Studies class. If we didn’t have a Gender Studies class then it would mean that we are giving those groupings of people the voices that they deserve. So yes, it is Lindy. I hope so… because that means it’s being represented; it’s all about representation for me.
Again, it’s still too early to tell. Gender Studies didn’t start appearing in schools outside of colleges until 2016. That part is true. However, with international schools (specifically) preaching to the masses about how inclusive they are, then why has ISB not had a Gender Studies class all the way back in 2016? How about even earlier than that? If they truly cared for being as inclusive as they say, then why are they only starting now, even if this may be a case of "better late than never"?
Gender used to not be the only thing international schools cherished so much.
- Are the struggles of the black community still being discussed in international schools?
- What about climate change?
- What about those physically disabled?
- What about those with learning disabilities?
What sort of checks did the Gender Studies class go through to get approved? Do students really need an entire class dedicated to gender identity? Or is Gender Studies simply the school ticking yet another box on their long list of sociopolitical boxes to check?
Is Gender Studies, as a Discussion, Lindy?
Ms. moffatt says:
I have a degree in history and political science, and a lot of what I studied had to do with gender and sexuality. All the way back to my degree, and that was the early 2000’s. I would say even before that, speaking to my mother who had a literary degree, who was looking at feminism theory as well. So I think these ideas are not new. I think gender is not new. I think it’s been within the framework of academic discourse many, many years. And so I don’t think discussing gender and looking at gender hierarchies is going to go away any time soon. Whether that’s in its own program… Maybe that will eventually die out? But I think, in general, people are going to continue to talk about it. Because I’m not sure when that will become no longer a point of discussion, when we are completely equitable.
It’s less of Gender Studies and more of gender in general. So, is discussing gender Lindy?
Well, yes and no.
Even with all my research into the topic, I am unable to come to a conclusion as to how it will evolve with time. However, I am well aware that the conversation will not simply cease to exist.
At the same time, it can also start to fall apart the more the binary is villainized. Granted, this is a vocal minority, yet it’s still important to keep in mind that the binary is our foundation for every other identity there is today. You can’t be nonbinary if there’s no binary to not be a part of, for example.
Conclusion
So, is Gender Studies Lindy? That’s a question we can only come to our own conclusions based on our own thoughts and opinions. I feel like I’ve made my side much clearer than it was in the first article, and I know there are many people out there who feel completely different about this whole ordeal. There is a whole other side to the argument that this article is only just starting to touch on, that runs just as deep and is just as opinionated as my own argument.
I also don’t expect to change any opinions, just as my own opinion has not been swayed in the slightest. In fact, the censorship ordeal only strengthened my stance. It does make me wonder what exactly about the first article got ISB to want to take it down so quickly. Was it truly because of community discourse, or because it was expressing an opinion they didn’t want to hear?
As the fianl question for this interview, do you See A future use of gender studies in one’s own life?
The bigger sort of philosophical discussion there is “What is the purpose of school? What is the purpose of education?” And people have different views on that, and for me, personally, I feel like education has become very much so about that capitalistic end goal. So, “This will get me to university.” [and] “This will get me the credits I need to get into this program.” Whereas for me, I see education as learning for the sake of learning and really trying to understand the societal influences that shape us on a day-to-day basis.
And so for me, I do think it has relevance for that sake, to understand- I think you [Miriya] said this beautifully, actually, in your article, to do with the climate we’re facing right now. Is this helping us navigate that social climate? I think it is! I think understanding and talking about it is important. [T]hat’s how I see education.
Credits:
Created with an image by Jacob Lund - "Pride parade with gay rainbow flag in the city"