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Volume CXXXIII, Number 8 |
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House system mirrors frats, statistics show
NINA SHRAYER
CONTRIBUTOR
Editor's Note: Every three weeks the Women's Resource Center will present an article relating to gender issues on campus.
Why are there so few women living in the college houses? This year, the house system has approximately 70 percent males and 30 percent females. Five of the six houses display this pattern (Helmreich being the only exception, with a 55-45 ratio). This year's gap is larger than that of the past two years.
Perhaps this is a fluke, merely a statistical outlier. But perhaps there is something about the houses that discourages females from applying.
I asked this question of many people and the resounding answer was beer. Women don't want to deal with parties, drinks, or clean up. Is this fair? Don't women drink too? And what about Howell which, despite its chem-free status, still maintains the 70-30 imbalance?
MacMillan House resident Libby Nells '05 suggests that the gender dynamics are the result of Bowdoin's history. Since social houses are serving as a replacement for the fraternity system, many students feel that it is important to maintain some element of the fraternity's traditions. Although, towards the end, the frats were co-ed, perhaps Bowdoin is still struggling with the legacy of male-dominated fraternities.
Inter-House Council Vice President Rachel Jones '04 counters this argument by saying that the houses were not always so focused on partying. They used to focus on community service and on promoting the common good for the campus. This more diverse function appealed to more females. The numbers support her argument. In 2001-2002, the year when Jones lived in Baxter, the houses were all approximately 55 percent male, 45 percent female, while Baxter's ratio was reversed, favoring the women.
For those of you who are still thinking that this is probably all due to chance, here's some more food for thought. One way to maintain house membership is for current residents to return. The pattern over the past three years has consistently been in favor of more men returning to the house. Not only does this suggest that men are probably enjoying their experience more than women, but also that if the same men are staying year after year, each year's women will be facing the same situation. However, this also might be due to the fact that fewer women are generally on campus their junior year, as more women tend to study abroad than men.
In addition to the applicant pool, there is also a separate open room lottery in which the spaces that were not taken during the house selection process are offered up to other students. Some women enter the house system through this lottery.
So, evidently the houses are not gender balanced. What's the big deal? Is this really an issue that needs to be addressed? Should the houses be actively trying to recruit the current freshmen females?
One source of answers is the first-year female population. When asked if they would want to live in a social house their sophomore year, the vast majority of girls polled gave a resounding "No." This was a non-scientific poll in which about 40 first-year females were questioned.
However, the number-one reason given for avoiding a social house was lack of privacy. Girls are worried that many strangers would be traipsing through their house, and more specifically, their rooms. Many were wary of too much noise and dirt. All of the girls interviewed emphasized not wanting to clean up after other people.
Most first-year females said that they enjoyed the social houses, but did not feel a strong sense of connection with the residents of the house, and several women remarked that they felt that the men in their dorms were much more comfortable hanging out at the social houses than the women. One first year summed it up by saying: "The social houses are like Florida. It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there."
Many first years did point out, though, that the option of blocking with several of their friends made the houses seem more appealing. They emphasized that they would not apply alone, but with a group, the houses seemed manageable and even fun.
This picture may seem bleak, but there is really no need to be alarmed. All of the women living in the houses this year (or in past years) who were interviewed stressed that they loved their living arrangements. They have become involved in their houses and look very fondly upon the experience.
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