Since last Sunday, heads have been turned by posters signed by "Daughters of Dartmouth," which highlight sexist acts committed by male-dominated groups on campus. In contrast to previous efforts at addressing gender issues, such as the "Bitches in the Basement" forum, this group has anonymously -- and blatantly -- attacked those groups it feels are responsible.
Formalized procedures and open dialogues are often touted as the best ways to improve gender relations on campus. But the aftermath of this poster campaign suggests that there must be a complement to institutionalized solutions; anonymous methods might provide a useful tool for creating real change.
The difference between these two approaches has to do with accountability. It is common for the president of a fraternity to take responsibility for incidents that offend; public and attributed outcry tends to trigger apologies from leaders, and the incident at issue enters Dartmouth's collective memory. Whether this type of response on its own has any enduring impact on gender relations at Dartmouth is questionable. Once an incident is addressed with a discrete event, it is easy to become complacent, writingthe incident off as something atypical or anomalous that has been taken care of -- a problem solved.
Presumably, the "Daughters of Dartmouth" are seeking a way to reject complacency through the use of shock tactics. The posters not only draw attention, but also put each member of the groups in question -- not only the leaders -- on the defensive. Some may see this strategy as polarizing, but it is undeniable that these posters have been effective at accomplishing their objective. Their effectiveness is a good thing, because the goal of generating dialogue on gender relations at Dartmouth is a worthy one.
Anonymity is not always effective; indeed, there are many situations when it is a cowardly and inappropriate tactic. But in this instance, the "Daughters of Dartmouth" are protesting a larger social problem, not promoting a specific cause or course of action. Some campus social-advocacy groups are seen as extreme and close-minded. If the posters were attributed to one of these groups, the reputations themselves -- accurate or not -- would likely dissuade potential supporters from embracing the cause, for fear of being dismissed as equally extreme and close-minded. The anonymity of the "Daughters of Dartmouth" allows the message to transcend such preconceptions.
Formalized procedures and open dialogues are not ineffective. However, it is impossible for these types of responses to be effective in the long term without a mechanism to encourage responsibility across the student body, rather than allowing one individual to excuse the behavior away. While we should continue to pursue formalized oversight for relations between Greek houses, and work to bring more sororities to campus, it is also necessary to create a broader sense of accountability. Anonymous protests are one way to accomplish this objective.
