Analytical Grrl Manifesto - Rough Draft #1 | Page 13

sex & mentorship In my academic experience, I’ve noticed that one-onone interactions with male professors in particular can be deeply uncomfortable, for me and for the professor. Part of the issue, I think, has do with the way our culture stereotypes relationships between young women and older, more powerful men. 1) The cultural narrative in which female students seduce male professors can make relationships between male professors and female students feel like dangerous territory. Fear of overstepping ambiguous boundaries can lead both parties to distance themselves rather than risk inappropriate intimacy. The narrative is also sometimes enforced by strict and perhaps overbearing policies intended to prevent sexual relations between students and teachers. 2) In a culture that sexually objectifies women, women frequently perceive themselves through the male gaze, especially in the company of men. Fear of the male gaze, amplified by the student/teacher power imbalance, can add a layer of discomfort to student/teacher interactions. (Even if the professor isn’t gazing, so to speak.) I’d like to hear further discussion among women on the issue of mentorship. Why might interactions with male professors be uncomfortable? Are mentorship relationships easier to foster with female professors?