Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Steven McAllister" <>]

In my experience, I have been fortunate to work alongside women who have 
consistently challenged me to confront the position I have in society solely 
because I am a straight white man.  Without their patience and compassion, I 
wouldn't be half as aware of the privileges society gives to me, and the need 
to address them in my work. This is true because most men are unaware of the 
privileges we are granted because, in our lives, it's the way things have 
always been.  We are taught that we achieve our position in life because we 
work hard and deserve the rewards.  We know that this isn't always the case.  
Women, LGBT, and other historically marginalized groups are the true experts 
on the issue of privilege because they are the groups negatively affected by 
the results.

To echo what Monica said, we must be allies in this movement. Specifically on 
listservs like this, we must be comfortable enough to voice our opinions, and 
open to challenges to our ideas. Women should feel comfortable to confront 
what they perceive as the exploitation of male privilege, especially by men 
in this field. It is obvious from Monica's email that many do not.  We need 
to do a better job of creating a community that fosters open dialogue between 
men and women on the issue of sexual violence.  If we can't do it, how can we 
expect the communities we serve to do it? This doesn't mean that we should 
always agree, but it does mean we should all feel like our voices have been 
heard and respected equally.

It is Father's Day weekend and my 3.5 month old son is sleeping about 20 feet 
from where I type this.  I hope that the work we are doing will result in his 
growing up in a society where gender based violence is on the swift decline, 
and men and women are working together, as allies, for the rights of all 
people.  

Steve McAllister