California university seeks to ‘deconstruct’ masculinity

Article here. Excerpt:

'To increase male student retention and combat sexual violence, one California university is offering a “safe space” for male-identifying students to discover their authentic masculinity.

“Dudes Understanding Diversity and Ending Stereotypes (DUDES) is a traveling Men’s Center, housed in the Campus Diversity and Inclusion Center for students who identify as Men, as well as women, transgendered students, and male allies,” the University of Redlands states on its website.

The DUDES Resource Center, the description elaborates, “provides support for students who would like a safe space to talk about men’s issues, get involved on campus, and discuss issues regarding masculinity, media, gender roles, etc.”

DUDES is one of five “Gender Programs” at Redlands that are designed to supplement the work of the Women’s Center and the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies Department. The other initiatives include a “Masculinity Discussions” series, as well as three programs that provide resources and support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

The “Masculinity Discussion” series provides students with alternative views of masculinity, because according to the website, “We believe it is crucial to deconstruct our societal understanding of masculinity and establish more inclusive definitions of manhood as part of the effort to reduce violence in our communities.”'