Women’s Studies: Letter to My Teacher (and something for consideration)

Dear Ducky,

I wrote this letter to my women’s studies professor about something that should have been really mundane, but it ended up being quite a bit more than mundane. I’m posting it here, partially because the questions I ask at the end of the letter really do matter to me and I’d love it if you would weigh in on them; and partially because I wonder what you think about writing this type of letter to a professor? Is it your experience that they enjoy this kind of thing or does it annoy them? Any ideas?

Professor _______,

I came to class today armed with a couple of very good
questions that had blossomed after thoughtful
consideration of the reading, questions I had really
hoped our class might take the time to discuss on
Thursday. But, I completely forgot to lay them on your
desk on my way out and in my excitement about touring
the Women’s Resource Center (while I was there I asked
them if I could fill out a volunteer sheet; I’ve
always wanted to volunteer my energy somewhere, and
the WRC is exactly the kind of place I think I could
really put my passion in to). So, I’m sorry I didn’t lay
the questions on your desk, and I understand if you
drop points off my grade for not doing so. I’m not
writing you about my grade though; I’m writing to ask
if I might send my questions via e-mail, at least so
that they will have a chance of being discussed on
Thursday?

Oh, and I’m writing also because, tonight, when I
began a creative writing assignment about the
definition of art (which is IMPOSSIBLE to define
because definition implies an objective reality that
art doesn’t fit in to at all and, come to think of it,
neither does gender), I noticed that when I type the
word heroine onto a Microsoft Word document, the
computer automatically suggests that I replace that
well and consciously chosen, mighty, femine word with
the word “hero”…. As if people of genders other than
male couldn’t possibly have the qualities to be such a
thing. Grrr.

On that note, here are my questions.

P.s. Sorry this e-mail is so long; I’m an English
major.

Study Questions: Set #1

The textbook,

Women: Images and Realities

by Kesselman, Mcnair and Schniedewind states: “From
subtle uses of language to more overt messages
transmitted through the media, advertisements, and the
classroom setting, girls are bombarded with sexist
views of the world and of themselves (44).” What are
your personal experiences, regardless of gender, of
the sexist messages the text mentions, were you aware
that those messages were sexist?

The text also says: “When girls and women are
constantly exposed to messages of male superiority,
they will inevitably feel powerless and insignificant
(44).” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Is there a way to undo gender programming on a
personal or societal scale?