Tuesday, June 13, 2017

"Cambridge University examiners told it is sexist to use the word 'genius' to describe students"

Via RedditCambridge University examiners have been warned against using words such as “flair”, “brilliance” and “genius” when assessing students’ work because they are associated with men, an academic has revealed.

Lucy Delap, a lecturer in British History at the top-ranking institution, said History tutors are discouraged from using the terms because they “carry assumptions of gender inequality”.

She told The Telegraph: “Some of those words, in particular genius, have a very long intellectual history where it has long been associated with qualities culturally assumed to be male.

“Some women are fine with that, but others might find it hard to see themselves in those categories”.

Ms Delap, who specialises in gender history, said one of the reasons why men get more first class degrees at Oxford and Cambridge than women is because female students struggle with the “male dominated environment”.

She pointed towards reading lists dominated by male authors and the lack of diversity seen in college portrait collections as examples.

(Link to more)

2 comments:

Amartel said...

The appropriate response to anyone who tells you that the word "genius" is sexist: Shut up, ya moron.

edutcher said...

Delap's brain is dilapidated. She seems to think only men can be geniuses (only because most of them are), but Grace Hopper and Marie Curie probably fit.

Hell, our dog Quasar was described by the vet as a genius, if such things existed for Yorks. She was, too.