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Why Everyone Should Take a Sociology Class

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Skidmore chapter.

Sociology is the study of different groups, and their function within society. Sociology is important to understand because it makes navigating our world and the people in it easier. Topics such as race, gender, and economic status are explored and deeper understood through sociology. In society we all belong to one of these groups, so the information is interesting and relatable no matter who you are or where you come from.

I am currently taking a sociology class called Femininities and Masculinities, in which we study gender. The class has been interesting so far and I believe it’s a class everyone should take. We learn about the patriarchy and how it is enforced and ways to slowly dismantle the system, the construction of the gender binary and why it’s unnecessary and feminism and intersectionality. This class has taught me how to handle situations I face everyday and helped me better understand society. If more people knew about feminism and intersectionality, more people would subscribe to the movement. Most arguments against feminism are created without full comprehension of what Feminism is and what Feminists sand for. If everyone took this class than they could learn about how Feminism is based on equality for all genders intersected with race, social class, and sexual orientation, and is not a movement strictly meant to put women higher than men in the social hierarchy. In this class people would learn that the gender binary is socially constructed, and sex itself isn’t even a natural binary. If more people knew the binary is a manmade system, they would feel better about its deconstruction. With this class people would learn that the patriarchy puts males in a box as well as females by forcing them to reject all things feminine. Men would be more attracted to feminism if they noticed it could help them as well. When people are no longer ignorant to a system that is mistreating them, they demand change.

I think for real change to occur all people should understand what it is that needs to be reformed. By taking a sociology class you are informing yourself on the problems in society, to which you may contribute. Sociology classes open your eyes to how society works and how just one person changing one thing about their daily interactions can cause a huge difference. I think everyone should take a sociology class and use their knowledge to make the world a better place.

Morgan Fechter

Skidmore '20

CC of HC Skidmore