I am writing in response to yesterday's "Both genders can support the Center" article pertaining to Siegfried Hall's Day of Man. I was disappointed that for the second year in a row, a Viewpoint article has been written attacking the fundraiser for having flawed principles. Day of Man is not at all about gender roles. It is about only one thing, and that is helping the homeless.
We men of Siegfried Hall are not trying to make any attempts to prove our masculinity. We are not trying to prove anything to anyone. We are simply trying to help those that are less fortunate than we are. We do not stand out in the cold wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt to feel tough. We do it to remind everyone that there are people who don't have many things that we take for granted each day.
Furthermore, the slogan "Be a Man for the Homeless" does not mean to imply that only men are capable of helping the homeless. Such an idea is absurd. Rather the slogan tries to promote the idea that "being a man" has nothing to do with being the stereotypical emotionless tough guy. It is saying that real men are those who are socially conscious enough to go out of their way to help others.
Again, we are not saying that only men can help the homeless. Going into the day, I did not once think about how "manly" I was going to look standing out in the freezing cold. My lone goal was to get out there and help the homeless as much as possible.
Siegfried's Day of Man has proven itself a very effective fundraiser, and therefore we keep doing it. It is no different than any of the other fundraisers and benefit events other dorms put on all the time. When considering these events it is important to focus on the main goal and do what you can to make the world a better place.
John Quinn
sophomore
Siegfried Hall
Feb. 15
