To the Dickinson community:

I am aware that students have been discussing the Instagram account menofdickinson (to which I will not link), and I thank the students who have brought this to my and the College’s attention. It appears that the creators of this site intend it as a response to @womenofdickinson, a page full of empowerment and encouragement. Unfortunately, the men’s site is nothing like the original.

Instead, the men’s site is full of demeaning, derogatory, dehumanizing rhetoric. It inappropriately sexualizes women and mocks sexual assault and rape culture. Some of the posts call for outright physical violence to women, in addition to the emotional abuse portrayed on the page.

The site’s creators have deflected objections and critiques by claiming that they find these memes and posts funny, and that, since humor is “subjective” (their word), everyone can decide for themselves whether the content is funny or not.

Let’s be clear: the content is not funny. The content enacts and condones gender discrimination and gender-based violence. This site and its creators have created genuine fear and concern among many of our students. This language and these attitudes and actions have no place in the Dickinson community.

The Women’s and Gender Resource Center, its director, its student staff, and its campus constituencies, work for gender equity and social justice. This site is antithetical to those goals and reinforces the need for our continued attention to achieving equity and inclusivity – on our campus and in the world.

Donna M. Bickford, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Office of Equity and Inclusivity
Director, Women’s and Gender Resource Center
Adjunct Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies

April 6, 2020