How to Deal with a Misogynist Professor

While most college professors are wonderful human beings who want nothing more than to see all of their students succeed, there are a few jerks out there. So, if horror of all horrors, you've landed in a class with a misogynist professor standing at the whiteboard, making all sorts of noises you don't agree with, here's how to cope or beat a hasty retreat.

Transfer out ASAP.

If you're in the first week or two of classes, and your professor is already showing signs of being a misogynist pig, you might not have to deal with it all. Does anyone else teach the class? Can you substitute another class for this one? If you're still within the add/drop period for the semester, get out while the getting is good.

If you need this class to graduate, no one else teaches it, or nothing else is open, you may have to stick it out. But examine all possibilities for escape, including talking to another professor to see if you can transfer into their class without penalty, even if the add/drop period is over. There's no reason to sit though a whole semester of one professor's misogynist nonsense if you don't have to.

Do your work.

If you have the misfortune of being a woman in a misogynist professor's classroom, the expectations for you will be lower than the expectations for your male peers. This is when you have to fight the urge to stop doing your work. It's hard to be successful when no one expects you to do well, but if you do the work and can prove it, you'll earn a decent grade or have grounds to challenge a poor one.

Also, just because your professor is a misogynist doesn't mean the material is unimportant or uninteresting. Screw your misogynist professor and throw yourself into the book or the assignments so you're at least getting the information you need for down the road.

Sass back in class.

If your misogynist professor says things that you don't agree with, raise your hand and state your case. If he makes digs at you, get him back. You are allowed to participate in class discussions and have your opinion heard, no matter what Dr. Misogynist has to say about it. Prove that women do belong in college classrooms by saying smart, funny, and relevant things. And don't make it personal. Keep it about the subject matter to show that you're more mature than him.

Who knows, maybe he's trying to get a rise out of the class by making derogatory remarks. Or maybe, just maybe, he's trying to get you to take a stand and earn his grudging respect. Regardless, your grade cannot be impacted by sticking up for yourself, but you can lose "class participation" points if you sit there silently all semester. And you'll never know how he'll react until you speak up.

Be honest in the course evaluation.

There is absolutely no reason to be afraid of turning in a negative course evaluation. Professors don't see course evaluations until after the semester is over and grades have been handed in, so you can be completely honest without worrying about the consequences.

If your misogynist professor has tenure, one negative course evaluation isn't going to change much. If he's tenure-track or adjunct, the college may not renew his contract if he gets enough negative evaluations. Either way, he will read your anonymous comments eventually, so make them count.

Pay a friendly visit to your department head and/or dean.

Your department head has a right to know if a professor treats female students differently than male students. Keep records of things your misogynist professor says or does that negatively impact the classroom environment. Your department head may not be able to change the experience you had, but the department head may be able to keep it from happening again.

If your misogynist professor IS the department head, go over his head and talk to the dean of students. The dean is there to act as a liaison between the student body and the college administration, and the dean would surely want to know if a trusted department head is making women uncomfortable in college classrooms.