Shourik Dutta

Intro to Social Problems

Davidson
4/4/14

The Saint Marys Image: Tracing the Roots of a Sexual Stereotypes Perpetuated by the
Notre Dame Student Body

Saint Marys College is a small, all-girls college of roughly 1,500 students which sits
beside the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The two schools are deeply rooted
in their history with Saint Marys being founded as a sister school to the once all male Notre
Dame that aimed to offer higher education to women in the mid 1800s. As Notre Dame became
coeducational over time, Saint Marys stayed single sex. The intertwined history and traditions
of the two institutions has impacted the social interactions between the two student bodies. This
is especially true of gender relations between the two, which has been complicated ever since
Notre Dame became co-ed in the 1970s.
Today, the student of the two schools enjoy healthy relations and large amounts of social
interactions. However, the persistence of harmful stereotypes by the Notre Dame student body
regarding Saint Marys students, as a whole, threatens the viability of these relations. The
prevalent stereotype, based on interviews from males from Notre Dame and females from both
schools, consists of two parts. The first part asserts that Saint Marys students are generally
dumber than Notre Dame students, often because they werent admitted into Notre Dame. The
second part has to do with how Saint Marys students are more socially outgoing and sexually
promiscuous than Notre Dame females. The focus of the present paper will be on the latter
stereotype and the roots of it.
The sexual stereotype has two main roots: inferiority and competition for males. A
perpetuated perception of inferiority among Saint Marys students is caused by the difference in
academic standards with Notre Dame. In addition, perceived social competition with Notre
Dame females for a fixed resource of Notre Dame males causes Saint Marys females to put on
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

performances in order to win competitions, be more attention-seeking, and gain social
acceptance within the modern hook-up culture. The sexual stereotype among Notre Dame
students is simply a byproduct of Saint Marys students behavioral attempts of gaining social
attention and combat the shadow of inferiority. Through an analysis of student interviews, the
sexual stereotype seems to be an accurate view of only part of the Saint Marys student
population, but the existence of the stereotype itself threatens the viability of healthy gender
relations, in general, and increases the propensity of sexual violence in the Notre Dame-Saint
Marys community.
Several prior works in studies of emerging adults, inferiority complexes, and gender
relations provide the key framework for the present paper. Smith, Christofferson, Davidson, and
Herzog (2011) analyzed the effect of an increasingly sexualized culture on emerging adults
through hundreds of interviews. They discovered that since the sexual revolution of the 60s and
70s, casual sex before marriage has become a commonplace in what can now be called the
hook-up culture. Furthermore, they find that there is a divide between emerging adults with
some having no regrets about promiscuity while others harboring lifetime emotional and mental
scars from harmful experiences. The implication of their work is that the current sexual culture
among college students creates an environment ripe for miscommunication and negative sexual
encounters. This implication also lays the foundation for expectations of casual sex which
contributes to the stereotype of a promiscuous Saint Marys student who could fit this schema.
Bettie (2000) provides an analytical basis for evaluating Saint Mary students behaviors,
especially when it comes to self-perpetuation of the stereotype placed on them. Her ethnography-
focused study on four different groups of girls in a specific high school divided by race and class
gives insights on how individuals can perform in a social setting in order to develop their
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

identity. These performance mechanisms affect how Saint Marys students portray themselves at
social gatherings and can reveal some of their motives for their behaviors.
Fisher (2010) writes about the structure of the modern dating scene, which gives us an
insight into female social behaviors and methods to attract and better compete for mates. Her
research on the mentality of women when it comes to interacting men in a social atmosphere can
be directly applied to the behaviors of Saint Marys students in their social competition with
Notre Dame girls for Notre Dame males. It is these very behaviors that go towards supporting
the stereotype of sexual promiscuity among Saint Marys students.
England and Ronen (2013) conduct a meta-analysis of several works on youth
relationships. The most prominent point they highlight in their analysis regards the rise of casual
sex with higher female to male ratios. With the current ratio within the Notre Dame-Saint Marys
community, there is an expected exacerbation of the hook-up culture and an increased problem
of casual sex, which cements the sexual stereotype at hand even more.
Sanday (1996) discusses the elements of college campuses that make them rape-prone
as opposed to rape-free by looking at a national study of 32 colleges. Characteristics of rape-
free campuses included a ceremonial importance of women, equality and respect between the
sexes, and recognition of female social contributions. What can be observed is that the status quo
stereotype against Saint Marys students works against many of these exact characteristics by
increasing objectification of women and perpetuating inequality. Thus, this study may have
implications on the growing issue of sexual assaults and rape on primarily Notre Dames
campus.
To gain diverse perspectives of the two stereotypes on campus, the primary research
method involved direct, one-on-one interviews with one Notre Dame male, one Notre Dame
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

females, and three Saint Marys students. Interviewed students were consensually recorded, and
were asked questions that built from his/her personal knowledge of the stereotypes to how they
felt about the accuracy and the overall impact of the stereotypes themselves. A full list of
questions can be found in Appendix I. The aim was to ease the interviewees into the sensitive
topic and to have them speak as honestly as possible. This would reveal how the stereotypes are
perceived and perpetuated differently by the three groups. Although all the interviewees were
only freshman in their respective institutions, the interviewees were all interviewed in the spring
semester, thus had enough time to be exposed and experience the stereotypes.
Based on the interviews conducted, the sexual stereotype that was held regarding Saint
Marys students was that they tended to be more outgoing, loud, sexually comfortable, and have
a higher propensity to be promiscuous. The different groups of subjects varied a bit in their
descriptions of this stereotype. The Saint Marys respondents all focused on the part of the
stereotype regarding promiscuity; their conformity goes towards a shared experience of previous
exposure and reaction to the stereotype. One interviewee put it simply saying, Saint Marys
chicks are seen as sluttier than ND girls, while another stated that they are thought to, always
try to hook up with Notre Dame guys and give them more attention. The Notre Dame male
stressed the social aggressiveness of the stereotypical Saint Marys student who is, trying to get
guys by being provocative by like hooking up and sometimes maybe dating. The Notre Dame
female held a different tone. She responded more negatively saying, Theyre just girls who take
advantage of Notre Dame guys, classes and social events without actually going here. She also
states that the status quo was really unfair. The basis for all of the respondents responses was
either first-hand experience at social events or what they had heard. Furthermore, most
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

respondents believed that this stereotype wasnt the norm, and only a smaller section of girls fit
this stereotype.
When asked what the root of this stereotype is (Appendix I, question 7) responses
revealed that there are a couple different factors that go into it. The factors are primarily
structural and include the hook-up culture, behavioral tendencies to counteract perceived
inferiority, and competition for Notre Dame males (most commonly cited by Saint Marys
students). The first two factors are driving factors for the third. In their book Lost in Transition,
Smith, Christofferson, Davidson, and Herzog lay out the impact of emerging adults liberal
mindsets regarding sex. They write, Emerging adults today inherit and help perpetuate a culture
that is highly sexualized, in a casual and sometimes chaotic way (Smith, Christofferson,
Davidson, and Herzog 148).
Not only is a highly sexualized culture being pushed upon emerging adults, many of
whom are in college settings, a majority of individuals are going along with the movement and
becoming sexually active. The authors point to a national representative survey as validation for
the increase in sexual activity among the age group. They state, According to our NYSR survey
data,71 percent have had oral sex and 73 percent have had sexual intercourse. The average age
for both first oral and first sexual intercourse is 16The typical non-married American 18-to-
23-year-olds has has an average of 3 oral sex partners and 3 sexual intercourse partners (Smith,
Christofferson, Davidson, and Herzog 149). This data shows two things. One, by the time
students reach typical college level age, more than half of them are sexually experienced/active.
Two, the incidence of multiple partners reveals that emerging adults are either having more short
term relationships or are hooking-up with multiple individuals without making any
commitments. Insofar as all of the interviewed students in the present study used the term hook-
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

up to describe the sexual stereotype against Saint Marys students, it can be inferred that the
hook-up culture is prevalent within the Notre Dame community.
The hook-up culture affects the way in which students perceive sex and their sexual
expectations. When no long term relationships are being formed from the sexual encounter,
which ranges from making out to intercourse, objectification of the other sex is more likely to
happen. Emerging adults statements from Smith, Christofferson, Davidson, and Herzogs
interviews support the authors statements that, Some emerging adults hook up as much as they
are able, for their own entertainment or their friends, with whom they will share their
conquest (Smith, Christofferson, Davidson, and Herzog 153). This culture also raises
expectations among emerging adults that sexual encounters will and should happen, which
affects everyones behaviors, including Saint Marys students who use these expectations to gain
social acceptance.
The perceived inferiority is another structural factor that affects Saint Marys students
behavior. It stems from the fact that there is a stark, objective difference in the prestige and
academic rigor between Notre Dame and Saint Marys. This difference has over time cemented
feelings of both intellectual and overall inferiority, as seen through common statements made by
all of the Saint Marys students interviewed. One respondent brought up the fact that, Saint
Marys gets treated like a second rate school because a lot of the girls here applied as a back-up
option if they got rejected from ND. Another talked about how she deviated from the perceived
norm. Like I do have friends here that had SMC as a back-up but like for me I chose to come
here. I wanted to be in the Nursing Program, which ND doesnt have, and I got a chance to play
volleyball. Another Saint Marys student even compared the inferiority created to a glass
ceiling that we have to constantly fight against. Although all three Saint Marys students agreed
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

that the intellectual stereotype isnt true in the majority of cases it undoubtedly breeds a sense of
perceived inferiority in the Notre Dame-Saint Marys community. The fact that all of the Saint
Marys interviewees were very aware and spoke in an adamant tone against the intellectual
stereotype is a testament to this.
These two factors profoundly impacts the way in which women compete for men within
the Notre Dame-Saint Marys community. The undergraduate population of Notre Dame sits at
roughly 8,000 students, about half of which are males. The whole Saint Marys population sits at
around 1,500 females. A disproportionate amount females to males along with the expectations
of hooking-up within the Notre Dame community, leads to a heavy amount of competition
between females for Notre Dame Males. England and Ronen reported that these kinds of high
women to men ratios are,one reason for the move towards nonrelational sexthe higher the
ratio of women to men, the more power men have to get what they wantmen are more
interested in casual sex (England and Ronen 2013). Thus this competitive male:female ratio not
only increases competition between females, but also exacerbates the hook up culture and its
detrimental effects.
All of the female students interviewed were very aware of this competition. One Saint
Marys student stated, I think there is a definite competition between Notre Dame girls and us
and that definitely influences the way that some girls act because we have to almost fight for a
guys attention. The Notre Dame female interviewed added, part of the stereotype is that they
come to steal our guys. Thats why a lot of Notre Dame girls dont get along with them [Saint
Marys students] to explain the animosity that develops through competition.
The competition that is created between the two groups affects the behaviors of the
females trying to court a male. Fisher explains in Romance is Dead: Reflections on Todays
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

Dating Scene that, Many [women] feel exhausted from all the activities they undertake to make
themselves seem as desirable as possible (Fisher 2010). She goes on to give examples of getting
gym memberships, clothing, cosmetics, and the financial burden of this undertaking. In the case
of the competition in the Notre Dame-Saint Marys community, this self-promotion to land a
male becomes increasingly escalated as competition increases. Fisher also reveals that, many
women try to determine what potential rivals are doing so they can be unique (Fisher 2010). In
a hook up culture where sexual encounters are expected and valued, behavioral self-promotion
leads to better competitive outcomes. This explains the Notre Dame males feelings that Saint
Marys students are, more friendly and socially outgoing slash aggressive. Like theyre not as
shy as Notre Dame girls and they wanna hook up, based on his experiences.
These behaviors help Saint Marys students overcome the inferior status cast on their
school and gain social acceptance, and can be termed performances. By performance I mean
Julie Betties definition crafted from her ethnographic accounts of female class distinctions and
identity in Women without Class: Chicas, Cholas, Trash, and the Presence/Absence of Class
Identity. She describes it as, the expression of self through ones relationship to and creative use
of commodities (both artifact and discourse) (Bettie 14). In essence, the behavioral
performances one gives helps define his/her identity. Bettie also clarifies that, Social actors
largely perform the cultural capital that is a consequence of the material and cultural resources to
which they have had access, meaning that exposure to social structures is a defining factor for
an actors performance.
The performances that Saint Marys students put on when at Notre Dame for social
events and parties helps them mold a collective identity for themselves. One Saint Marys
student described how at social events, especially at Notre Dame, Saint Marys students tend to
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

be more outgoing and social within themselves and with others. Well, sometimes when we go
out well see some girls who we really dont talk to during the school week but then we will go
say hi to them and catch up just because we are all from Saint Marys, she said. The
stereotypical qualities of a Saint Marys students, like being more socially outgoing, flirty,
promiscuous, are a part of the performance some of these girls put on during the weekends. The
performances are used to gain social acceptance, and have caused the permeation of the sexual
stereotype because the performance helps identify the group by its nature. By being more
extroverted and promiscuous, some Saint Marys girls have found that they can win the
competition for Notre Dame males and gain social approval from males amidst their perceived
inferiority.
Inferiority, the hook-up culture, and competition for mates are all factors that,
according to Peggy Reeves Sanday, move a campus away from rape-free and towards rape-
prone environments, thus harming the safety of the community. This happens through the
objectification of women through structurally created stereotypes. She states, The outstanding
feature of rape-free societies is the ceremonial importance of women anda respect which
places men and women in relatively balanced power spheres (Sanday 1996). With Saint Marys
students constantly battling cemented inferiority, battling objectification, and the whole student
body being painted as promiscuous by the actions of few, the ceremonial importance and respect
for these women are lost.
The roots of this harmful stereotype are largely structural and are composed of the rise of
the hook-up culture, continued sentiments of inferiority among the Saint Marys student body,
and competition between Notre Dame females and Saint Marys students to win over Notre
Dame Males. In essence, the stereotype is based on the performance of Saint Marys students
Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14

using behavioral mechanisms to win the competitive battle for males. break down the shadow of
inferiority and gain social acceptance. The performance is necessary for Saint Marys students to
level the social playing field under which they are at a predisposed disadvantage due to traditions
of inferiority. However, the sexual stereotype which is put forth as a by-product is detrimental to
the campus community and harms the viability of gender relations. It pushes us towards a more
rape-prone campus and increases the likelihood of sexual violence, like the kind seen this past
fall semester. The intersectionality between multiple structural social factors also makes this a
complex issue to solve. The future of this research lies in assessing the means by which to
change the structural factors contributing to the sexual stereotype in order to reduce its impact on
gender relations and increase perceived equality. Once possible solutions are identified, only
then can the community move progressively towards a safer more rape-free culture.






















Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14
















Appendix I: Interview Questions

1. What school do you go to? What is your age, and gender?
2. Could you give me a description of the typical SMC student?
3. What are your experiences with SMC students, like when, where, and what context have
you interacted with them?
4. Are you aware of prevalent perceptions of SMC students at Notre Dame student body?
Can you explain these perceptions
5. Is this an accurate view of SMC girls from what youve seen? Why or why not?
6. (SMC focused question) Some ND guys view SMC girls more sexually, and as more
promiscuous. Do you think that is accurate? How do you feel about this?
7. Why do you think these stereotypes exist? If there was a root to them, what would it be?
8. Do SMC girls perpetuate this stereotype deliberately? What are their motives for doing
this?
9. Do these perceptions harm the student body in they interact socially?
10. Are there any benefits to these stereotypes?
11. Do you think the sexual stereotypes of SMC students are accurate?
12. How do you think SMC students feel about these stereotypes? ND Males? ND females?









Shourik Dutta
Intro to Social Problems
Davidson
4/4/14















Works Cited

Bettie, Julie. Women without Class: Chicas, Cholas, Trash and the Presence/Absence of Class
Indentity. Signs 26.1 (2000): 1-35. Print.
England, Paula and Ronen, Shelly. Sex and Relationships among Youth: An Intersectional
Gender Lens. Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews. 42.4 (2013): 503-508.
Print.
Fisher, Maryanne. Romance is Dead: Reflections of Todays Dating Scene. Psychology Today.
Sussex Publishers., 2 Jun. 2010. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.
Sanday, Peggy R. Rape-Prone Versus Rape-Free Campus Cultures. Violence Against Women.
2.2 (1996): 191-208. Print.
Smith, Christian, et al. Lost In Transition. New York: Oxford, 2011. Print.