Hearing from both genders

When asked the same question, Sherman responded, “It may just be that guys are more willing to give it a try and women are more conscious.”

Her response directs the discussion toward a number of possible explanations, of which the most prominent evoke the enduring debate surrounding the impact of societal factors on women.

We believe that a longstanding history of restrictive factors in modern Western liberal societies has precluded women from reaching their potential. Certainly, the political and social ramifications of such policies are significant—for example, women occupy fewer leadership positions. A study also found that women between the ages of 18-25 are less likely than men to even consider running for political office. The fact that women feel discouraged from seeking public opinions could also contribute to the disparity between male and female student graduation speakers at Duke.

Putting the research aside, though, the important point at hand is the value of hearing from a variety of voices. The student commencement speaker carries the responsibility of reflecting on the trials and tribulations of day-to-day life at Duke, inside the classroom and beyond. Given that women make up half of the student population, one would imagine that women would more frequently give the student commencement speech than the last fourteen years have indicated. Men and women have different experiences at Duke, and men cannot capture fully the perspective women bring to the table. Thus, both men and women stand to benefit when they hear from each other. To this end, in addition, of course, to her worthy speech, Sherman’s selection as this year’s speaker is an unambiguous positive.