EDITORIAL: SEXISM

Treat the disease, not the symptoms.

It's disappointing to see that the issue of sexism (or any other -ism, for that matter) has indeed become a flavor of the week among the Rice community. For approximately two weeks, Rice rallied around the anti-sexism flag. Now it seems that there is a tendency to want to sweep things under the rug, as if doing so will make the problem go away. Guess what? It won't.

To this end, while some people claim to be tired of hearing about sexism and sexual harassment, turning a deaf ear won't get us anywhere. Even if individual cases like the Backpage or the college minutes are resolved, there will be other battles to be fought. Wouldn't it be more effective to treat the cause of the problem instead of soothing the symptoms?

As part of our role here as students, it is our privilege to learn. This learning should not stop at lectures, books or exams, though; rather, it should extend into learning from daily life, from each other and from ourselves. Now is the ideal time for each of us to seriously examine and challenge our own beliefs. We can do this through activism, by demonstrating, or even by simply talking. We shouldn't be afraid to address issues that are important to us, because it is only through a cooperative sharing of ideas that we can all come to an understanding and effect change.

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the December 6, 1996 issue.

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