Jared Mauldin, senior in mechanical engineering at Eastern Washington University, was hit with the realization that gender differences are starkly evident in all spheres of life, in all societies and across all economic strata.
Mauldin decided to share his knowledge and his views through an open letter, addressed to "the women in his engineering classes," which he begins by saying that women "are in fact unequal." He goes on to elaborate, in a succinct manner, as to why.
"I did not, for example, grow up in the world that discouraged me from focusing on hard science. Nor did I live in a society that told me not to get dirty, or said I was bossy for exhibiting leadership skills," he wrote, according to Huffington Post.
Mauldin's study partner Holly Jeanneret made him realize the inequalities. While awed by her mathematical and conceptual skills, Mauldin soon became aware that the other men in their class either refused to partner with her, or ignored her.
The behavior acted out by fellow classmates towards Jeanneret made Mauldin aware of the fact that the women in the course had to work harder than the men just to get accepted.
"Really, when you look at this letter, I said nothing new. I didn't say anything that another feminist writer hasn't said before. The distinguishing factor...happens to be that I am a man. That is a problem," he told TODAY.
The letter has been well received across social media circles.
"An interesting side effect of this letter is that while I had no idea what it felt like to experience any of the stuff women do before I wrote this letter, and I still have no idea what it feels like to experience it 'as a woman', it has been an enlightening experience to have my motives, intelligence, sexuality, character and goals dictated to me by other men," Mauldin told Mother Nature Network.
