But for now, the students standing behind Hera hoped the Dean would correct their mistake and help clear her name byunching a thorough investigation. However, they quickly realized they were wrong. The Dean seemed more eager to ce Hera on the chopping block, showing no interest in listening to her exnation and immediately using her.
The way the Dean looked at Hera didn’t go unnoticed by most of the students either. That was why none of them left, even when Hera asked them to, especially Logan. He was extremely displeased and quickly urged Betty to find a solution to help Hera out of this sudden predicament.
"Dean, are you not even going to ask me what happened?" Hera asked, trying to maintain a calm and collected demeanor. Her voice, however, shook ever so slightly, sounding like a hurt animal trying to mask its pain while appearing tough on the outside.
"Why bother? Isn’t it already clear? You’ve been mired in negative publicity for a while now. I’ve been generous enough not to expel you immediately and instead gave you a chance to prove your innocence. But, as Dean, I’m bound by the board of Directors’ decision. They’re concerned that keeping you would only further damage the reputation of our prestigious university, dragging its long-standing legacy through the mud due to your alleged irresponsibility and promiscuity." The Dean spat these words with little regard for their truth, more focused on making a public example of Hera to signal to the entire student body that the decision was final and beyond dispute.
"Besides, where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. It’s clear you’ve been seen publicly with multiple men—five, I believe, and they’ve admitted to it. Why should we investigate further? The information circting on the campus forum is a reminder for us all to choose role models who uphold good morals and maintain a clean record. We don’t want someone in a prominent position who might lead our students astray."
Hera was momentarily speechless, as the Dean’s arguments seemed convincing and he sounded quite authoritative. However, she and a few other students couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the situation than what he was presenting. His demeanor felt unusually prickly, almost as if there were a personal vendetta behind his harsh judgment.
"Dean, if having multiple suitors is considered promiscuous, doesn’t that also seem like an attack on women in general?" Hera asked innocently. "Even if we were to disclose it, I wouldn’t be the only one with multiple suitors, and we can’t always control who pursues us, even if we say no. What about men who have multiple girlfriends and treat rtionships like a conquest? Isn’t that worse than simply having several suitors?"
Her words resonated with many women, who nodded in agreement, while some men shifted ufortably, feeling a bit defensive. They had often justified their own multiple rtionships as youthful folly or a natural part of growing up, and Hera’s question struck a chord with their own experiences.
Hera’sparison revealed a troubling double standard: it seemed as though gender discrimination was at y. It appeared that women were being unfairly judged and restricted, while men were free to have multiple partners, often celebrated for their conquests as if it boosted their ego and enhanced their appeal. In contrast, a woman with multiple suitors wasbeled derogatorily, and her value was questioned. This disparity highlighted an inequality where men’s behavior was glorified, while simr behavior from women was condemned.
But in reality, what’s the difference? Is it because they are women, conditioned from birth to prioritize and amodate men, that they are forbidden from doing what men can do? Even after centuries, true gender equality still seems elusive. This is the issue Hera wanted to highlight with the Dean’s words. As she spoke, many of the women who had followed her began to re up in anger, feeling disrespected and demeaned by their own Dean.
"Also, Dean, wasn’t one of the Board of Directors a woman who had 2-3 suitors vying for her when she was young? Did she know that you considered her promiscuous? It was well-known at the time that those men were genuinelypeting for her attention, and even today, there’s still some rivalry among them—one seeded in winning her, while the other two were left bitter. Should I also ask the Director for her opinion on this and let her know what you’ve said?" Hera taunted innocently, as if the thought had just urred to her and she was merely stating it harmlessly.