Why Men Shouldn't Park

For years, I thought we were just very different people—me being much more tolerant of red lights and speed limits than he was. Then we went to see a Caveman show, and I left the theater in shock. Although much of it seemed exaggerated to me, the actor had given us a whole list of examples of men and women in cars—all of whom I recognized. Was our behavior in the “conflict zone” of the car not individual at all, but rather typical and normal because of our gender or our roles? The question «Who am I, and why am I the way I am?» can and should therefore be asked again and again.

When we look for topics in the editorial office of Art of Educating, we sometimes find that the articles in our feature section are only individual elements of a larger picture and that we cannot cover the topic comprehensively. This has been the case for us once again. Social change is always taking place, and students at Waldorf schools are also part of these changes. Compared to the 1950s, for example, our roles, power dynamics, and women’s participation in all discourses have improved significantly. Nevertheless, there are still many areas we must observe with vigilance and sensitivity, where discrimination or denigration based on gender occurs.

In our special section, teachers share how feminism and gender roles are addressed at their schools.
A student talks about an initiative by the national student council to provide hygiene products free of charge at all Waldorf schools.
A doctor draws attention to the topic of «women’s health» and explains why exhaustion is a common symptom among women.

We are delighted to feature many more fascinating articles in this issue of Art of Educating. I would like to recommend a new three-part series in which the two professors of education, Christiane Adam and Fanny Stein, explore how Waldorf education must respond today to the changing nature of childhood.

I hope you enjoy reading this and have a wonderful June!