To the Editor:
Space, the amount and location, is a strong indicator of the relative importance placed by the College on various campus organizations. The Women's Resource Center has been in a "temporary" location at 6 Choate Road, in a building that used to be an apartment, since 1988. The meeting area is too small to accommodate necessary discussions about issues such as gender and gender inequality which directly affect women and also affect men. These discussions are held elsewhere on campus, which means students may graduate having attended events sponsored by the WRC, but never having been to the center. The WRC's location is less than ideal: it is far from the center of student activities, and, unless one is looking for the center, invisible.
Why do we need the Women's Resource Center? The purpose of the WRC is to address gender inequality on campus. Gender inequality usually affects women most directly -- which is why "women" is in the name -- but affects all students in some way. The WRC provides resources to help students deal with and prevent the many forms gender inequality can take, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexism in the workplace, homophobia, eating disorders, absence of information about sex and sexual health and transphobia. These resources are always available to all students, regardless of gender.
I have worked at the WRC as an office assistant since last Fall. I have seen firsthand some of the work of the Center. After the Zantops' deaths, the Center opened its doors to all students who needed to talk. Regularly, students borrow books about sexuality, coming out as gay or lesbian, gender identity, relationships, eating disorders and women's history. The WRC sponsored a series of events devoted to sharing information about sex, relationships, and pleasure. It sponsored two national campaigns, the Vagina Monologues and Take Back the Night, to raise awareness about violence against women and sexual violence. The Men's Project sponsored a speaker on how men can be allies against rape. Every Friday, the WRC hosts lunch discussions on topics range from dating at Dartmouth to mother and daughter relationships. The attendance at all events continues to be high, indicating that the Center is filling a definite need.
The Women's Resource Center works to end the very real gender inequality on campus. Yet it remains located far from the center of campus, in a small building that was supposed to be temporary. What message is the College sending about its commitment to gender equality if it fails to fund a more centrally located Women's Resource Center?
