Dear Editor
I’m writing in response to Andrew Jenson’s article in Tuesday’s edition of the Argonaut. Specifically, I’d like to address the “Stereotypes” section of the article. To get right to the point, I think it is absolutely ludicrous to suggest, as you have, that arguments against oppressive gender stereotypes are “tired” or mere attempts at political correctness.
Gender oppression is not a matter of political correctness. It is a real systemic problem that affects half of the global population, and should not be disregarded or pushed aside simply because it gets in the way of someone’s fun — especially not someone whose fails to recognize their place of privilege as you appear to have done. Oppression isn’t fun, and nor is fighting it. Would you offer the same arguments, if we were considering people dressing in blackface for Halloween? I sincerely hope not.
We as a society can never rid ourselves of these kinds of very real, very harmful disadvantages if we do not continually fight back against their manifestations in social activity even — and perhaps especially — when it comes to seemingly innocuous events like children’s costumes at Halloween.
I sincerely hope you take the time to consider my thoughts. I think what you’ve said represents a perniciously flawed approach to inequalities in our culture, and I hope you reflect on it before writing future articles.
–Sami Sumpter