Last semester, a man helped teach a women’s studies course.

Jason Chrystal, graduate student in history, was the teaching assistant for Women’s Studies 380/History 280 (History of Women in Science, Technology and Medicine).

Chrystal said he was somewhat nervous when he found out he would be teaching a class that was part of the women’s studies department.

“I was a little apprehensive because of the focus on women,” he said. “[But] once I got to know the students, I was very comfortable.”

He said students in the class reacted well to him when he led discussions.

“Of course, when we’re talking about women’s health and women’s biology, you expect some of the male students to be a little squeamish,” Chrystal said. “But I didn’t feel uncomfortable talking about women’s sexuality.”

Amy Bix, assistant professor of history, taught the course with Chrystal’s assistance. She said it is helpful for him to “have the experience TA-ing different courses.”

“I think it’ll be a tremendous plus for him to be able to say he’s done this course; he’s had this close involvement with the subject of gender and technology and science,” she said.

Bix said having Chrystal help her teach the class was a familiar experience.

“One of the women’s courses I took as an undergraduate was team taught by a man and a woman, and I think it was one of the best courses I’ve taken, not just because of their gender, but because of the interplay between them,” she said.

Kim Downward, graduate student in immunobiology, was a student in Women’s Studies 380 last semester. She said she thinks it is good for men to be involved in women’s studies courses “to bring that different perspective.”

“I don’t think that men really realize what the history of women are in different fields, and speaking as a woman in science, they don’t really know what they’re up against in that field,” Downward said.

Chrystal said the students in the class did not seem to mind his involvement in the course.

“I never asked them explicitly whether they challenged me because I happen to be a man teaching a women in science, technology and medicine course,” he said. “They seemed to accept me because of my technology and science background.

“I never had anyone coming up to me and saying, ‘You shouldn’t have taught that because you’re a man,'” Chrystal said.

However, Emily Woline, who also took the course, said she’d rather have women instead of men instruct women’s studies classes.

“[A man teaching a women’s studies class] is kind of the same as a non-Native American teaching a Native American class,” said Woline, junior in English and secondary education. “It’s not as authentic because [the male teacher] doesn’t have the same experiences as a woman teaching the course would have.”

Woline said she did like that the course was taught by a combination of a female professor and male teaching assistant.

“The students received both perspectives,” she said.

Jill Bystydzienski, director of the women’s studies program, said she does not know of any other males teaching or assisting with a course within the program.

“It’s probably unusual, although it’s not unheard of for men to teach women’s studies classes,” she said. “More and more men are taking women’s studies courses than ever before.”

She said she hopes Chrystal will not be the last male assistant teaching a course in the women’s studies program.

“I would hope that more men would get involved in women’s studies,” she said. “The program welcomes men as well as women.”