The Male Attack on Female Education

The Male Attack on Female Education

It’s so incredibly disappointing the lengths that women go through to educate themselves, only to be continuously judged and condemned. The unfair and brutal nature of men continues to hold us down, even when all we do is seek to better ourselves.

Recently, a women came under extremely vile attacks, due to no wrongs that she did, but simply because she chose to pursue higher education for herself. Dr. Ally Louks was wrongfully and viciously attacked by men for publishing research on the topic of smell, a topic she is clearly passionate and well-versed in.

The Online Reaction To The ‘Politics Of Smell’ PhD, Examined

Why was she attacked so harshly? For no good reason. Men were offended by the fact that a woman would pursue an education rather than starting a family. It makes no sense! Men have for so-long called us gold-diggers, claimed that we were uneducated, irrational, or could not do the same jobs as them! Yet when we try to better ourselves, they tear us down again.

Being a graduate student myself, I know the difficulties that women face in the field of education. Even among the more educated and less prejudiced men, we aren’t taken as seriously as our male peers. We have to constantly put forth more efforts. Mistakes on our part are amplified and our achievements degraded. If we want to remain out of the spotlight, men will take credit for our work. If we are passionate about sharing our results publicly, we are attacked with misogyny and threatened with terrible bodily harm.

Inspired by the bravery of Dr. Ally Louks in this extreme situation, I took time to read through more of her posts on X. She remains calm, cheerful, and positive throughout, despite drawing massive unwarranted criticism.

What could this women have done to deserve all the hate? She engages thoughtfully and with reason. She never went out to sow hate or discord against anyone. She was a woman working tirelessly to complete her education and to contribute to a field that she felt deeply involved in.

I’ve been in 4B for a few months now. Still, I feel my naivety with me at times, believing that men might still accept us if we go out and prove ourselves by contributing to higher education, or by advancing humanity with innovation. I’ve been beyond disappointed with men’s true reactions, but I also feel further spurred to action.

I now understand that our education is so, so important. It’s not because we need to prove our worth in society to any men. It’s important because so many women in the past fought for us to be able to be educated. In the past, we were denied this knowledge, by our fathers, husbands, or even male teachers and professors. Now, we can seek knowledge. With higher education, we never have to be dependent on any men anymore. They criticized us so much for being dependent on them, but when we seek autonomy, they still attack and threaten us.

Despite the threats that men make, they will never control us. Dr. Ally Louks is free, I am free. As women, we may hurt in the mind and body from our lived trauma, but our spirit is free. No matter what chains men throw at us, if we don’t stop seeking knowledge, we will all be free. Do not be afraid to seek higher education, it’s a right that we as women have in America. And when the time comes, let’s give the opportunity of education to women in Afghanistan and beyond. ♀