The Debate Over Proposed Male Affinity Group

Mr. Sport, the heads of FEMX, and others weigh in on campus gender dynamics.

As Middlesex works to address DEI issues, questions have arisen on how Middlesex can best address sexism, toxic masculinity, and gender-based discrimination. One proposed solution is to create a male affinity group. However, both students and faculty question its validity, worrying that it undermines the work of current affinity groups. 

At Middlesex, affinity groups occupy a space above a club. As the heads of FEMX, Middlesex’s affinity group for female identifying students, Maggie Cabot ‘25 and Margot Boyd ‘25 agreed that a club [is] a shared interest whereas affinity is a shared part of an identity. Mylles Welch ‘27, a member of BSU and MSA, similarly defines an affinity group as a space “where people who identify the same that’s not the majority…can come together…to make each other comfortable and how to make their presence known on campus.” Consistent with these student definitions is the idea of identity—that affinity groups connect people based on an unchangeable aspect of who they are.

Another key piece of the definition of an affinity group is that it is a space for marginalized groups. Erica Sahin, FEMX’s faculty advisor, describes the goal of an affinity group being to unify students with a shared identity in a manner that “supports and uplifts them.” Given that we live in a patriarchal society, male-identifying students are not a marginalized group and do not need their voices amplified to the detriment of other minorities on campus.

However, that does not mean that they are immune to gender based issues and are undeserving of somewhere to feel safe and heard. In describing the gender dynamic at Middlesex, Boyd has witnessed that “the expectation of boys and girls are very different.”

These expectations have manifested into an expression of hyper-masculinity that Jason Sport, Chief Officer for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has witnessed during his time both in the Deans’ and DEI office. Analyzing patterns in disciplinary action, according to Mr. Sport, there is “[an inverted relationship between the] number of male identifying students that have discipline events and the number of male identifying students that accessed help for their mental health.” Despite the equal access to mental health services at Middlesex, Mr. Sport notices that we “see more boys getting in trouble and we see fewer boys getting help.” 

While acknowledging that men occupy a privileged space in society, Mr. Sport has also realized that “men are struggling,” especially as they move past high school to higher education. Forbes indicated that women in Massachusetts have the highest graduation rate in the United States with 78% of women graduating whereas men only achieved that same graduation rate in 2/50 states. 

Looking at the greater societal issue, Mr. Sport explained that “we are seeing men or boys have fewer connections, causing more problems” like the disciplinary actions he dealt with in the Dean's office. In an effort to address these issues, Mr. Sport and the DEI office are looking to address the root of these problems through connections. Mr. Sport wants to create a group or programming to address these issues; however, he is very cautious in his approach to do so. 

Men need some sort of additional support system on campus; however, an affinity group may not necessarily be the solution. Mr. Sport “recognize[s] that the need for a male affinity group may seem unnecessary as men and boys on campus are by no means marginalized,” but he also acknowledges the need for a space for boys to be “vulnerable and talk about shared challenges and be who they are.”

Boyd opposes the formation of a male affinity group, fearing that without proper supervision and planning, that same group would instead “feed into” the preexisting hypermasculinity. 

Cabot too noticed the lack of male connections noting that ”they feel more ostracised and it causes them to be more misogynistic” and agrees that  “if they had a place where they could get their feelings heard and if it was in a productive way like combating misogyny” it would be beneficial. 

Boyd offers an alternative solution, recommending that there should be a male club, reserving affinity groups as “spaces for people who do not inherently have the privilege that white men have” while still giving male students a platform to address their own issues for the betterment of all students' experiences on campus.

Ultimately, it is clear that we need to find alternative solutions to forge deeper relationships between male students where they feel just as comfortable accessing help as any other student on campus. While Middlesex does not tolerate sexism, it is important that the community creates a space for boys to feel comfortable talking through their prejudices to learn and expand their way of thinking. 

Shunning or demonizing the subject of misogyny compounds the problem, rather than ameliorating it. Instead of being addressed in the presence of teachers and student leaders, misogyny is being discussed in dorms and in the locker rooms where it could grow. Thus, Middlesex and the DEI office is taking student, professional, and faculty input to create a male space that recognizes male students' inherent privilege but also provides an outlet for their own growth and struggles.

Abby Tribush