Is it wrong that I have to self-censor my papers, due to my feminist teacher?

[Nakura Chambers]

I constantly find myself self-censoring my papers in my class, because I'm afraid I'll get a lower grade. Suffice to say that my class is something akin to a "women's studies" class that I'm taking after having lost a bet. I need to take it (or a comparable class) for the credit anyway and figured it couldn't hurt being one of the select few guys in the class (if you know what I mean), so I went for it.

Well my teacher is promoting the idea that everyone is a victim, especially women. No examples have ever been provided, but she is practically preaching "you are all victims and need to stand up to men" (conveniently ignoring that there are men in the class). I'm writing two papers for the class right now, one of which is about how women in the Middle East are repeatedly differently from women in first-world countries. I was about to make a reference to how women in the first-world are "equal to men," but I'm afraid that if I say something along those lines, my teacher will fail me. My teacher is trying to ingrain into our minds the idea that women "can never be equal to men" and that they will need to "fight" indefinitely.

Is it wrong that I feel like I'll get a lower grade without self-censorship?

[Nakura Chambers]

Are you deliberately trying to be argumentative, given that the whole thing was a bet?

I just want to pass the class with an A. It just feels wrong that I should have to lie and make things up just to pass the class.

[Sunseeker]

Are you deliberately trying to be argumentative, given that the whole thing was a bet?

Especially considering he thinks taking a women's studies class is *wink wink nudge nudge* about all the chicks in the class.

@OP: what the hell do you care, really? You want it for a grade, make your teacher happy. Otherwise, just shoot your mouth off like you do here and see what happens.

[Space Troll]

I just want to pass the class with an A. It just feels wrong that I should have to lie and make things up just to pass the class.

How much influence will this teacher or class have on you in 5 years? If none, just censor yourself and move on. Struggling against something that has zero impact on you is not worth anything.

[Templar 331]

Nut up and double down. Write that report showing how women are equal to men. And if she fails you for it take a copy to her boss and have him/her (I'd laugh my ass off if it was a woman) explain why it was failed. If it is worthy of passing explain that she is being sexist to you and your report isn't worthy of failing because of her ideological fallacies. Just make double damn sure it's pass worthy.

[Brude]

First rule of college: C's get degrees.

Second rule of college: Every major has a class or two you may not agree with morally, ethically, or otherwise. When these classes come up your best bet is to complete it in the correct manor based on the class expectations. Understanding if it's an elective (like this class is) you may need to make sacrifices to accomplish your goal.

Third rule of college: All you get is a glorified piece of paper that says you now know how to learn. College is nothing more than a large grouping of lessons. And the class you're in now is probably one of the more important lessons to learn while in school.

[Endus]

I constantly find myself self-censoring my papers in my class, because I'm afraid I'll get a lower grade. Suffice to say that my class is something akin to a "women's studies" class that I'm taking after having lost a bet. I need to take it (or a comparable class) for the credit anyway and figured it couldn't hurt being one of the select few guys in the class (if you know what I mean), so I went for it.

What you're basically saying here is that you're deliberately trying to avoid learning anything, because you're presuming that you already know better.

Which means you're basically throwing your money away and wasting your time.

Well my teacher is promoting the idea that everyone is a victim, especially women. No examples have ever been provided, but she is practically preaching "you are all victims and need to stand up to men" (conveniently ignoring that there are men in the class). I'm writing two papers for the class right now, one of which is about how women in the Middle East are repeatedly differently from women in first-world countries. I was about to make a reference to how women in the first-world are "equal to men," but I'm afraid that if I say something along those lines, my teacher will fail me. My teacher is trying to ingrain into our minds the idea that women "can never be equal to men" and that they will need to "fight" indefinitely.

Is it wrong that I feel like I'll get a lower grade without self-censorship?

Well, you're objectively wrong, so you aren't talking about "self-censorship", you're refusing to give up your willful ignorance and learn something. If women were the "equal to men" in Western society, then there wouldn't be differentials in pay, differentials in hiring preferences, and so forth. Those differentials have gotten significantly smaller over the last half-century, but they aren't gone.

Even if your teacher were overstating things, refusing to acknowledge any such factors is even more wrongheaded.

I just want to pass the class with an A. It just feels wrong that I should have to lie and make things up just to pass the class.

You're saying "lie" when you mean "learn and understand the material".

Yes, education often involves giving up ill-informed beliefs rooted in ignorance.


If I'm asked to discuss the merits of Utilitarian ethical models, I don't complain that I'm not Utilitarian myself and that I have to "lie" to talk about it. Your entire position is nonsense and anti-intellectual.

[cynsacat]

Are your papers only about your opinions or actual things that are being taught?

Hmm. I feel like this is a very important question. Writing papers isn't necessarily about your opinion; it may be more related to your ability to demonstrate that you can consider the opinions of others. It's highly dependent on the goal of the assignment itself.

[Nakura Chambers]

Are your papers only about your opinions or actual things that are being taught?

This particular paper is only supposed to be half of a page long and explain some differences between American culture and another culture of our choice. I chose Arab culture for this particular essay.

[Thekri]

I just want to pass the class with an A. It just feels wrong that I should have to lie and make things up just to pass the class.

Well, you could try doing the coursework the way it is intended and having a well constructed argument wherever you differ from the teacher. I took a western civilization class in Junior college from a female professor that turned it into a women's history class, despite the fact it wasn't supposed to be. Every single discussion was on how females were treated, or how they contributed, or something like that, for each era we covered.
In our discussions most of the class took the same position you are, agreeing with the teacher for a grade, I got annoyed and wrote a paper, then presented it to the class that was wildly averse to her position. My basic premise is that there is no biological imperative to gender equality in any animal species, any ancient culture, or any other place prior to the mid 17th century. That gender equality was a social construct of the reformation, and applying it to earlier civilizations was hypocrisy. The topic was deliberately inflammatory, but I wrote it in a professional manner, with no attacks or uncited claims, presented it respectfully, and explained my views carefully as a subject for rational discussion. While she disagreed with my conclusion, she enjoyed the conversation it generated, appreciated the writting and research skills, and I got an A in the class.

The point is, you can't assume someone is an unreasonable jerk just because they have different views from you, unless she has stated that she will fail you for a differing opinion there is no reason to believe she will. You are censoring yourself because you are afraid of what you think her reaction might be, and that is just cowardly. Express a different opinion, explain it, and if she does smack it down then I suggest going with the flow to graduate, but don't assume you can't talk.

[Templar 331]

This particular paper is only supposed to be half of a page long and explain some differences between American culture and another culture of our choice. I chose Arab culture for this particular essay.

That's it.....half a page? I take back what I said, lie your butt off. It's not worth fighting for half a page. A full blown report would be one thing, but a half page summary about two cultures?

[Endus]

This particular paper is only supposed to be half of a page long and explain some differences between American culture and another culture of our choice. I chose Arab culture for this particular essay.

That isn't a "paper". That's like 150 words. It's a short paragraph.

[Neganova]

And if she fails you for it take a copy to her boss and have him/her (I'd laugh my ass off if it was a woman) explain why it was failed.

Highly unlikely this will work in college. Highly, highly.

OP, this class doesn't seem to be something you care deeply about. Write to your audience, secure the grade, move forward.

First rule of college: C's get degrees.

And the first rule of apostrophes is that they're not used to make things plural. Cs get degrees.

[Nakura Chambers]

That isn't a "paper". That's like 150 words. It's a short paragraph.

True, but the fact that I felt the need to censor myself from even remotely implying that men and women are equal in the free world is alarming. I would have never felt the need to filter such references in any other class or at any other point in my life.

[Thetruth1400]

I just want to pass the class with an A. It just feels wrong that I should have to lie and make things up just to pass the class.

Welcome to the real world, where you have no choice but to lie to get ahead.

Don't like it? Report her to the head of her department, but don't expect it to change.

[Templar 331]

Highly unlikely this will work in college. Highly, highly.

OP, this class doesn't seem to be something you care deeply about. Write to your audience, secure the grade, move forward.

You're probably right. But it's worth a shot. And if it doesn't work it's all about the moral victory, right? :/

And the first rule of apostrophes is that they're not used to make things plural. Cs get degrees.

English sucks as a language, there's almost always an exception to a rule somewhere.

[Endus]

Highly unlikely this will work in college. Highly, highly.

Yep. If you can justify your argument with proper sources to back it up, that's one thing, but your prof's probably read all those sources too, and it's going to boil down to how supportable your claims are. If you can't back them up at least as well as your prof can demonstrate their flaws, you're hosed.

True, but the fact that I felt the need to censor myself from even remotely implying that men and women are equal in the free world is alarming.

They aren't equal, in practice. Which means you aren't "censoring yourself", you're avoiding stating something that is objectively false.

Even when all factors are accounted for, including women's difference in choices, there's still a wage and hiring gap, for instance. It may be small, but it's not zero, hence they aren't equal.

It's like saying you feel you have to "censor" yourself on your math quiz when your prof asks "2+2=" and you can't answer that with ""custard" and get full marks. Why don't you just try learning the material and answering the question properly, rather than refusing to learn the material because of willful ignorance?

[Neganova]

You're probably right. But it's worth a shot. And if it doesn't work it's all about the moral victory, right? :/

True enough, and there is something to be said for making your name known, assuming of course that you present your case calmly and clearly. You don't want your name to be known in a negative light.

But really, OP, you're not in this class because you want to be. Say what needs to be said, and focus on your degree-related classes.

[Vyxn]

What you're basically saying here is that you're deliberately trying to avoid learning anything, because you're presuming that you already know better.

Which means you're basically throwing your money away and wasting your time.



Well, you're objectively wrong, so you aren't talking about "self-censorship", you're refusing to give up your willful ignorance and learn something. If women were the "equal to men" in Western society, then there wouldn't be differentials in pay, differentials in hiring preferences, and so forth. Those differentials have gotten significantly smaller over the last half-century, but they aren't gone.

Even if your teacher were overstating things, refusing to acknowledge any such factors is even more wrongheaded.



You're saying "lie" when you mean "learn and understand the material".

Yes, education often involves giving up ill-informed beliefs rooted in ignorance.


If I'm asked to discuss the merits of Utilitarian ethical models, I don't complain that I'm not Utilitarian myself and that I have to "lie" to talk about it. Your entire position is nonsense and anti-intellectual.

you can be educated or you can be propagandized there is difference being educated you hear and discuss both sides of an argument propagandized is when only one side of an argument is allowed presented and taught as the only correct one

[Deleted]

The answer to your question:

It's easy to do this, it's staged and the same can be done about literally any kind of person/personalite.

Anyone upset by "you hit like a girl" should grow a pair. Guess what, it's a figure of speech because girls by nature are weaker in the sense of pure power. That's not even up for a discussion, it's a fact of nature.

Ontopic, we all do it. I did it for my dutch teacher (it's my native language) and for my religion teacher (godsdienst). As long as I get my grades I couldn't really care. If you still have to do it as an adult though it feels wrong...not sure why it's an issue for me 18+.