Not Logged in.
Book Jacket

Yale Needs Women


How the First Group of Girls Rewrote the Rules of an Ivy League Giant
Summary and Reviews
Excerpt
Reading Guide

What did you learn from Yale Needs Women? What surprised you the most about the women’s stories?

Created: 06/24/21

Replies: 5

Posted Jun. 24, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

What did you learn from Yale Needs Women? What surprised you the most about the women’s stories?

What did you learn from Yale Needs Women? What surprised you the most about the women’s stories?


Posted Jun. 30, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Karolyn

Join Date: 06/30/21

Posts: 15

RE: What did you learn from Yale Needs ...

I was quite surprised to learn that it wasn't until 1969 that women were admitted to Yale. I found that the story of these women made me reflect a lot about my mom who attended a small private Christian college in the mid-50s. I have never asked her about her experience and now plan to do so. The courage and desire to stand up for themselves really inspired me. It was not done because they felt they were serving as an example so much as they were following their own values. It surprised me that the book said they did not consider themselves feminists. The one part of the book that bothered me was what felt to me like the very brief coverage of the sexual assaults that happened. It felt like there should have been more outcry, especially from the couple who led the Human Sexuality Committee.


Posted Jul. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
smallino

Join Date: 06/06/21

Posts: 52

RE: What did you learn from Yale Needs ...

I agree with the last comment. I was surprised about the incomplete coverage of the sexual assaults'. It was one of the most appalling stories of these early days. Gang Rapes, Forced sexual encounters, no locks on door or bathrooms, no protection walking home from libraries? And no response from the administration regarding these assaults. I was shocked. Several times the author would begin the story about an issue here, lack of locks on bathrooms/showers, etc. but then the story would be dropped and she'd move onto a very different nonrelated issue.


Posted Jul. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carolynd

Join Date: 05/16/11

Posts: 35

RE: What did you learn from Yale Needs ...

The grit of these women and their refusal to accept the 19th-century treatment offered was truly inspiring. You go girls!


Posted Jul. 18, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
colleena

Join Date: 07/18/18

Posts: 37

RE: What did you learn from Yale Needs ...

I also was surprised that women were not accepted to Yale until 1969. In 1965 I attended a small Catholic College in Louisville Kentucky, Ursuline College. During the summer the Chemistry Department moved to Bellarmine College across town. So there were a few of us who became the first women to attend classes at Bellarmine. It was a little awkward but nothing like the first Yale women experienced. The two colleges did formally unite in 1969.


Posted Jul. 18, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
marks

Join Date: 02/25/19

Posts: 112

RE: What did you learn from Yale Needs ...

Like some of the other posts, I did not realize that the first women were accepted until 1969. In my mind it would have been earlier. More than anything, I learned how tough these women were and how amazingly strong they had to be to succeed given the obstacles and hurdles they faced. I would like to believe I would have had their grit, but some of the stories recounted in this book made me wonder if I would have been willing to endure all of that.


Reply

Please login to post a response.