[9565] in APO-L
All-Male Chapters
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (KELLEYK%CITADEL.BITNET@mitvma.mit.)
Sun Oct 2 22:59:37 1994
Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 22:46:37 -0400
Reply-To: KELLEYK%CITADEL.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
From: KELLEYK%CITADEL.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L%PURCCVM.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
To ask me why I feel all-male chapters should remain is akin to asking me why
all-male schools should remain.
As many of you have probably heard, The Citadel is in a fight with a Ms.
Shannon Faulkner on her right to attend The Citadel. Let us say that my
personal view on this matter is that I wish that The Citadel would be allowed
to stay all-male, but if the courts feel that her rights have been violated,
then I will not stand in her way in the least bit. But here is my $.02 worth:
Single gender institutions and organizations are indeed different from co-ed
ones. There is no denying it. What makes it different? I don't honestly know.
It's not a tangible thing you can put your finger on. It's like freedom, we
have an idea of what it is, and we enjoy it, but if asked to explain or
describe it, we would all say it differently, for it means different things to
everyone. If we were stripped of it, we would feel very outraged. We would
shout our rights have been violated, and as surely as what we consider human
rights to be, we would be right.
The experience is totally different. I can honestly say there is a different
bonding experience at a single gender school. A cross-argument might be that
well, how do you know, you've never been at a co-ed school! Well, in my case,
I have. South Carolina has an advanced school for those gifted and science and
math that is residential and lasts for the last two years of "high school."
They can call it whatever they want, but in reality it is the first two years
of college before you get to college. I am taking 3 upper division bio courses
this semester, and am running near the top of my class with no previous
"collegiate" bio courses. This is mainly due to the intensity that I had at my
high school. There was a definite bonding experience akin to college there,
but it is nothing like what I experience now at an all-male school.
Can I really describe it? Sorta. This is going to be very stereotypical but
here goes: When you do things that are single-gender (such as bachelor parties,
baby showers, guys' and gals' nights on the town, etc.) the absence of the
other sex allows you to express yourself differently than you would when they
are around. For some, this may come out crude and rude, but not for most. It
is a chance to delve into your gender and learn more about yourself and how you
fit in society... that's the simplest way I can describe it.
This for me applies to my school, and my chapter. I will not hesitate to
support anyone's rights, especially those to be treated equally (how about
giving Asians minority rights, for instance), and have sworn an obligation with
the Air Force for four years as an officer when I graduate in regards to this.
However, I do think that all-male institutions should be allowed to continue to
exist.
_____________________________________________________________________
| Kenneth Brian Kelley | Brian "chloe" Kelley |
| Area III Director of Support | Treasurer |
| Arnold Air Society | Alpha Phi Omega |
| Roland F. Wooten Squadron | Kappa Tau Chapter |
| Det 765 The Citadel | The Citadel |
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