Opinion: Gender studies are essential to higher education

June 28, 2026 - 00:52

Under the guidance of the United States Department of Education, major budget cuts have swept through higher education. Few have been felt as sharply as those made to humanities departments. At the University of Minnesota, a recent vote to reduce the budget of several academic departments points to an uncertain future for liberal arts programs. Among the most vulnerable is gender studies, a field often misunderstood and frequently targeted.

Critics argue that gender studies lacks practical value or that it pushes a political agenda. This view misses the point entirely. Gender studies is not about indoctrination. It is about critical thinking. The field examines how identity, power, and social structures shape our daily lives. It asks hard questions about inequality, representation, and justice. These are not niche concerns. They are central to understanding the world we live in.

Students who take gender studies courses learn to analyze data, question assumptions, and build arguments based on evidence. These skills are valuable in any career, from law to healthcare to business. the field produces research that informs public policy, workplace diversity initiatives, and medical practices. Cutting gender studies does not save money in the long run. It starves society of the knowledge needed to solve complex problems.

Higher education should not be reduced to job training. Its purpose is to cultivate informed citizens. Gender studies is essential to that mission.