It’s Friday night, my girlfriends and I get together at Hume Hall, swap clothes, do each other’s makeup and put band aids on our ankles to protect against blisters. Then we “go out.” We meet another set of girlfriends on University Street and make “home base” a corner booth at our favorite spot—for Gator Girls c/o 2009 it was ":08" on Thursdays. But what is to come of all the makeup, glam and pre-gaming? One boy will wander over to our booth and talk to ALL 8 of us. Sound familiar? Insert your dorm, your bar and your favorite style and you have a Friday night for most women who went to college sometime over the last 5 years. But alas, someone other than us girls is beginning to catch on.

The NY Times headlined the article; “The New Math on Campus” connecting the dots between the male/female ratio in college classes and how the ratio is affecting the dating pool.

 According to a recent report by the American Council on Education, women have represented about 57 percent of enrollment in colleges since 2000. Some schools recognize the gender inequality in the classroom and have created quasi “affirmative action for boys” programs. Yet, leading feminists organizations see this as female discrimination and in December, "the United States Commission on Civil Rights moved to subpoena admissions data from 19 public and private colleges to look at whether they were discriminating against qualified female applicants," according to the NYT.

This aside, what can be said of the social ramifications of such an inverted ratio?

So while women appear the “victors” in academia, we are losing out on stable, committed relationships. Researchers may not fully know the effects of this new form of college hook-ups for years, but I do hope this article sheds light on an issue that so many of us can speak to personally. 

The Superbowl gave America a hearty dose of masculinity last night. The commercials even sent messages about what it means to be a man. Doveshowed us the progression from boyhood to manhood. Dockers told men to wear thepants. The Dodge Charger is the man’s car of choice even when he has to sacrifice his manliness in other areas in order to make his significant other happy.

As funny or even sarcastic as the commercials were, it gave insight into manhood in the US. It’s too bad that football games are one of the few places that masculinity is valued. Some feminists condemn masculinity as a repressive social construct or the dangerous motivator behind the infamous patriarchy that is blamed for the ills of the world. Even our TV shows cast men in a negative light as the clueless dad or the bumbling boyfriend without any heroic qualities. Universities have entire women’s studies departments, but sometimes fail to offer even one class on authentic manhood.

There is at least one college class out there available to men at Monterey Peninsula College. However, it is not accepted as transfer credit at other institutions because it lacks diversity. This sounds like a course that is a minority to me. Check out the article from The National Association for Scholars.

I think many women would agree that they don't desire feminized sons, husbands or fathers. So why is there a lack of study on honorable manhood in academia? 

Dr. Abdulla Al-Khan, a leading high-risk obstetrician went on record with Fox News:  

South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford releases her new book today. “Staying True” is the story of Sanford’s marriage to Gov. Mark Sanford and the difficult events of the past year, according to SC’s Sun News.

After the publically tearful recount of Gov. Sanford’s affair, Jenny Sanford is the one woman, in the series of public affairs in 2009, who chose not to stand by her husband. Sanford’s divorce will be finalized this month after she filed on the grounds of adultery last December.

So why does Sanford retell the story of their courtship (if you can even call it that), his draining campaigns, the birth of their four children and his late nights in Washington DC? She doesn’t need the money, most likely doesn’t want more publicity and isn’t planning on running for office herself. So why the memoir?

According to a Time Magazine review, Sanford’s book is not revenge, it is not the story of a scorned wife out to destroy her distraught ex-husband and it is not a tell-all with a media blitz in mind. No, Sanford’s story puts each unflattering revelation of the cheating, relentless and preoccupied Gov. in context.

Why exactly?

Maybe even though she ended her marriage she can’t walk away from defending her home and a public explanation is the best fix? Or maybe, it is just the best type of revenge- cool, calm and collected.

NEW Gentlemen's Showcase from Sam Pagel on Vimeo.

“Tim Tebow is one of the better things to happen to young women in some time” states Sally Jenkins, a pro-choice woman, of The Washington Post. In the face of resourceful feminists who spent the last two weeks declaring the exact opposite, Jenkins' article, “Tebow’s Super Bowl ad isn’t intolerant; its critics are,” does the unthinkable: defend Pam Tebow’s right to chose and Timmy’s right to publicly share his mother’s choice.

By now we are all familiar with the details of the “Tebow- CBS- Modern Feminists Are Crazy” debate which captured our attention last week when NOW and the Women’s Media Center mounted a full frontal attack against the yet-to-be-viewed 30-second Super Bowl ad. But as Jenkins points out,

NOW is not only wrong to attack Tebow’s ad but their actions are also offensive. How has NOW become the de-facto voice of women? NOW is supposed to speak for all women, but it is completely out of touch with what women actually want. Women want freedom to express their life choices. Pam Tebow fully exercised her choice, and we should celebrate her story. America is thrilled with the birth of her record-breaking, scripture wearing, gator chompin son and so should groups who allegedly "speak for women".

NOW should take a cue from the public support for Tebow: other issues warrant more controversy than a 30-second ad celebrating family. Last I checked, women are still starving, female entrepreneurs are being shut down by their nanny-states and barely there bikinis walk around advertising the latest brew. Where were NOW’s resources on these issues this past week?

Jenkins correctly asserts that the Super Bowl is not a reality-free escape zone that is untouchable by advocacy ads. Instead, the Super Bowl celebrates the game of football, and what comes along with football? Players. Athletes who were born from mothers who wrestled with pregnancy, disease and an extra 30 pounds to give birth to the next generation’s role models. Since NOW wants to take issue with the best role model our kids have today, I would like to see who they recommend. On second thought, no thank you.