ABSTRACT
The use of male staff remains a subject for impassioned debate in many Women's Studies teams. The potential problems are well recognized, ranging from the threat of direct sexual harassment to subtler influences on course ethos and classroom dynamics. Male leadership inevitably affects the treatment of sensitive subject matter in class discussion, and male academics are less likely to be committed to the 'gynagogical' teaching methods and unorthodox modes of written work which Women's Studies courses frequently encourage (Humm, 1989; Lubelska, 1991).
