Reply to comment

i went to an all girls high school till the tenth grade and so everytime we talk about Bryn Mawr being a 'womans college' and what  that means, i cannot help but compare it to my old school (J.B. Petit)

what i find through my comparisions fascinates me, solely because it brings out the vast difference in society and culture between america and india. in JB we were encouraged to stand up for ourselves, to take risks and stay strong. the school empowered not only me, but thousands of people both before and after me. but it empowered us to  deal with indian society. we were radical, but protected. whilst we questioned ourselves and those around us, gender and sexuality never came into the picture. it was like your sex. if you had a penis you were a male. questionning that was unheard of. it never even occured to most of us.

is this because the society and culture is primarily built like that? or is it because even in my outspoken school some topics were brushed aside? was it consciosly done?

one would assume that bryn mawr was a shock after coming from an environment like that. surprisingly enough though, it  wasnt.. everything i see and learn here feels comfortable, almost as though ive always known it but im just realizing it.

drawing from this then, i would like to add to the general view that yes a womans colleges is there to empower you, but also to help you realize yourself. to help you become more aware (sometimes by getting lost first) and through that awareness to be empowered.