Recent reactions to the proposed Center for Gender Studies indicate that some people are confused about the proposal, the center’s spokesperson said Thursday.

Tamara Berg, spokesperson and women’s studies professor, said that people are quick to assume that gender studies only include females.

“Gender does include masculinity,” Berg said. “Gender doesn’t mean feminism.”

Mick Reis, president of the Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transsexual Alliance Partnership, said the center is a good idea.

“Whenever you study women, you have to study men, and whenever you study homosexuality, you have to study heterosexuality.  You need something to compare to,” Reis said.

He said the proposal committee has already discussed bringing speakers like Rebecca Walker, who specializes in masculinity research, to Winona State as part of the gender studies center.

Berg also said it is important to note “all that has been approved is a committee to investigate the proposal” for the center.

The proposal states the center would be “student-focused” and would sponsor lectures as well as initiatives for conferences and speakers. Also, the center offer courses on gender and sexuality, feminism, gay and lesbian liberation and intersections of race and gender. 

Parker Hjelmberg, president of the College Republicans, said, “With all due respect, I fail to see the point. I fail to see how homosexual studies will aid a student’s education.

“At best, this project isn’t necessary. There are bigger problems,” Hjelmberg said.

In a letter to editor in the Winonan on April 21, junior Hans Laage wrote, “How are professors and classes in this center going to be fair, unbiased and above all tolerant to those students of differing opinions?”

Berg said, “It doesn’t matter your opinion, it’s how you understand the topics.”

She said the multidisciplinary classes that would be offered will lead to critical thinking on topics.

“The real idea is that these classes will be a way to explore and analyze topics from all angles,” Berg said.

Berg said she saw “a lot of homophobia” and “stereotypes” in Laage’s letter.

Reis said the letter is obviously from someone who doesn’t understand the issue.

The Center for Gender Studies committee includes seven female and two male professors: Berg, Colette Hyman, history, Cindy Killion, mass communication, Emilie Falc, communication studies, Linda d’Amico, residential college, Jan Karjala, business education, Robin Richardson, biology, Dan Lintin, communication studies, and Peter Sternberg, health and human performance.

“It’s not about women’s studies taking over the campus,” Berg said. “It’s about collective faculty-student experiences.” 

Berg said faculty love to work together in creative ways, and that the center would allow for professors from multiple departments the opportunity to teach together. 

“This makes faculty more accessible to students,” Berg said.

She said studies have shown high faculty-student contact results in higher student GPAs and more overall student satisfaction.

The Center for Gender Studies proposal was modeled after the proposed Center for Mississippi River Studies. 

“The river center had no controversy, but suddenly with this topic, people respond.  It shows how we hold biased views about gender studies,” Berg said.