USD Magazine, Spring 1995

FINDING THEIR OWN WAY When Perry began her graduate studies, she encountered some prejudices against her work. She intended to tum a lifelong interest in women's roles in society into a master's study on how women define their role models. "I was basically told if I wanted to study women I would never succeed in my field," she recalls. Perry immediately transferred schools and carried out her study at Penn State. The work continued as part of her doctor– al thesis that examined women in upper-middle management and their socialization into their organizations. Since then, Perry has kept her hand in gender issues by teaching at least one course each semester that fits into USD's minor program, and by editing books and writing chapters about gender issues in women's lives. Her published works include an anthology on defining and redefining gender. She is currently editing an anthology of essays on women's life experi– ences. Caywood's interest in women's issues, on the other hand, blossomed after earning a Ph.D. in literature from Duke University. During her first years of teaching at Wake Forest University, Caywood joined a team of 30 professors that was developing a new women's studies program. She was particular– ly influenced by a colleague whose graduate degree was in wom– en's studies. "I took her course while on the faculty and it was exactly what I wanted to be doing," Caywood recalls. She now devotes her research to Aphra Behn, a 17th century woman writer, and gender issues in the 17th and 18th centuries. Caywood's published works include an anthology on the rela– tionship between gender and teaching writing. Currently under consideration for publication is an anthology of essays on early women writers edited by Caywood. NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES Academically, Perry and Caywood grew up in an era of bur– geoning interest in the study of women, but as co-founders of USD's gender studies program, they prefer to introduce stu– dents of the 1990s to issues that affect both sexes. The task to teach equally about male and female perspectives is not easily completed, however. "What students expect when they come into a class labeled gender studies is this very 50-50, balanced examination of men and women," Caywood says. "The truth of the matter is, the research is largely about women." Perry points out, however, that a new emphasis on the men's movement and men's changing roles may soon balance that focus . So far at USO, the students enrolling in the minor's courses are mostly women. The occasional male student is a refreshing

fabric of our culture. Tina Crowle finds herself sharing the same ideas with friends and family who unknowingly discrimi– nate based on gender differences. Solis and Crowle don't con– vince 100 percent of their listeners to espouse the same ideas, but both have moved beyond the fear of speaking up about per– ceived injustices. The two students leave the gender studies courses more aware of differences and, consequently, better prepared to react when faced with real-life episodes of inequali– ty, harassment or abuse. "They are not courses that teach solutions, but that provide awareness," Crowle says. Indeed, classes taught at a liberal arts college are intended to be more academic than how-to, but Perry believes a heightened understanding of problems naturally provides mechanisms to find solutions. "Students absorb the problems and understand strategies that others have used so they can decide for them– selves how to proceed," she says. For Mike Fridolfs, a senior communications studies major, the awareness gained in his Gender Communication course profoundly altered his understanding of people. He is eager to join the "real world" armed with a greater appreciation for indi– vidual personalities. "Through the discussions you start to notice your preju– dices," Fridolfs says. "You start to appreciate people as humans rather than classifying them as part of a particular group."

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