Notre Dame Student's Plea for Help
Here is a message just received:
“As a student at Notre Dame, I can tell you first hand of the need for groups like TFP to advocate authentic Catholicism here and elsewhere. I just wanted to forward you this e-mail to show you what I think to be the primary problem with our school – the classes themselves. I just thought I would make you aware so you know the kind of stuff people are teaching here.”“As a student at Notre Dame, I can tell you first hand of the need for groups like TFP to advocate authentic Catholicism here and elsewhere. I just wanted to forward you this e-mail to show you what I think to be the primary problem with our school – the classes themselves. I just thought I would make you aware so you know the kind of stuff people are teaching here.”
He refers to Notre Dame’s anthropology course that appears to be far removed from natural moral law:
Dear Students ~ If you are looking to fulfill your social science core requirement, please consider the following course:
ANTH 20380 Anthropology of Gender
Gender is a fundamental organizing principle in societies through time and across space. Gender is a cultural construction that is grounded in perceived biological differences. Gender shapes what it means to be masculine and feminine; how economic resources and social power are distributed; and how marriage, kinship and reproduction are understood, among many other things. Are there gender universals? What role do politics and economic systems play in the determinations of gender? We will use interdisciplinary examples from economics, political science, anthropology, psychology, art, architecture, and history to explore the various ways in which gender defines differences, organizes societies, and shapes human experiences.
In this course, we will:
- read Anne Fausto-Sterling’s Sexing the Body in which she problematizes our two gender system and the ways in which Western culture conflates biological sex, cultural gender, and sexuality
- read Jameson Green’s Becoming a Visible Man, wherein he recounts his journey of transitioning from a woman to a man
- analyze Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head to understand the role of toys in socializing children into societal expectations for gender roles
- screen a handful of films, including Is It a Boy or a Girl?, a documentary about children born with ambiguous genitalia
- among many other interesting things.
I hope you will consider joining us!
The course appears to make no pretense of objectivity or a desire to expound traditional Catholic anthropology, based on sound Catholic principles. Rather, it explores a neo-pagan anthropology where “gender identity” is entirely relative, a mere “social construction,” open to all forms of sexual deviance.
Why are donations down?It is interesting to note that the more Notre Dame dialogues with the culture of death, the more contributions seem to be drying up. In fact, during the 2008--2009 fiscal year, the same year of the commencement scandal, donations were down $120 million compared to the year before.
Parents spend a lot of money for a Catholic education at Notre Dame. However, with classes such as these, a growing number of parents and students may start questioning the wisdom of their investment.
Related:
Catholic Priest and 86 Pro-Lifers Still Face Criminal Charges
Permission is granted to republish this article provided the content is clearly attributed to TFP Student Action with a live link to our web site: www.tfpstudentaction.org