There are over 300 clubs on Carleton’s campus involving everything from shared interests in hobbies, religion to support services. While we strive for equality, it’s important to realize that equity is needed. With the Womyn’s Centre, women on campus have free access to menstrual items, counselling resources, peer support, and a gender-specific safe space. Representatives have stated on a number of occasions that it is not a centre for cisgender women, but for those who face female-based issues.
Similarly, men—not simply cisgender, straight men but also transgender men, men of colour, and gay men—also face societal challenges specific to their gender, such as less public recognition of male survivors of sexual violence and how men are statistically more prone to die by suicide.
Discussions around gender-based issues in society need to include the gender-specific issues men face as well. However, in those discussions, there needs to be recognition of the different ways these issues intersect with other identities. To be clear, acknowledging men’s issues and raising awareness of them doesn’t necessarily mean supporting a ‘meninist’ agenda. The exploration of creating a men’s centre on campus needs to include the nuances of transgender, gay, and racialized identities.
Furthermore, it is vital that inclusivity is central to all discussions of gender-based issues. Raising awareness of men’s issues shouldn’t inadvertently diminish awareness of women’s and minorities’ issues.
