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Feminists, how are men harmed by social and media constructs? - Real Man - 10-14-2012 04:59 PM
Or is that out of your area of concern?
- calmstew471 - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
Like they give a rats bum.
In all my time on this forum, I've only witnessed about 3 of the several dozens who frequent this forum actually *claim* to be genuinely concerned AND be able to talk in a convincing manner about mens issues.
- calmstew471 - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
Oh gee I don't know, how about the way men are portrayed as clueless buffoons and imbeciles on sitcoms and rapists and abusers on Lifetime and Oprah??
- Martillo maniac - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
It would be a little more believable if feminists ever brought up children's right, but the lack of those comments show that their dedication to men's rights is just all talk. If they were really concerned about violence against women, they would discuss violence against men and children also.
- Lucy - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
Feminists seem to believe men are just fine. The 3 times male higher suicide rate etc. They couldn't care less, in fact they openly fight equality and MRA groups. Many of these women are lesbian couples who are raising their adopted sons as HOMOSEXUALS, yes, honestly. I was reading about it on the site feministing. I pretended to be a feminist on a yahoo womans group and loads of them are doing this. Raising there sons with pink and making them do the cleaning in the house etc.
Read this in todays front page on the UK paper 'The Daily Telegraph'.............
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6729588/Labour-MP-ban-shops-from-selling-sexist-pink-toys-to-little-girls.html
Women who exclusively identify as feminists are attacking men and little boys. Read, 'The war against boys', 'Save the males'..... books that are written by women who care about what's happening.
Read.......
"Gender Study" Victim Boy Raised as a Girl Commits Suicide.................
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/may/04051010.html
EDIT......... Kailey who are you to be telling men they should be weak and encouraged to play girly games etc.?! You are obviously one of these feminists that think the female gender is superior to the male. I think, in fact I know, many boys are growing up being feminised by women like you and NEVER recover properly. It's called CHILD ABUSE and has to be a contributing factor in the suicide numbers. Boys need to be given CONFIDENCE and love by their moms, to embrace there masculinity and to be reassured that they are ok. All I hear is women hating on boys that are boys. I'm quite honestly ashamed and disgusted of my own gender, when I here of women with these beliefs, that take the chip on their shoulder out on their sons.
- Mabel B - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
They don't care, it really is that simple. In fact, they secretly (or not so secretly) enjoy seeing their "oppressors" becoming the oppressed. How any of them can say that feminism is about equality with a straight face is beyond me. As a woman, I often feel rather embarrassed by some of the stuff I hear about now. Like how our wonderful labour party (here in the UK) have women only short lists for seats in parliament.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2147398.stm
- Jay - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
I think it's more often talked about for women so it's impact isn't quite so much. For men though, it's not talked about so, quite frankly, we don't know.
My stance on this is that it has a huge impact. I think it's quite often said that due to a lack of male role models, men look to films and TV for guidance on how to be men. This is fine to an extent, but the problem is, these sources always emphasis the monomyth, the hero, the man who over comes adversity in order to be successful, feel good and win the girl.
Whilst I think we should all push ourselves to achieve, I think this is totally unrealistic. Most men don't really have to slay dragons or fight robots or aliens and so they're left feeling that life is somewhat mundane and feel yet more emasculated. It devalues the things men do every day that are so important and valuable and insinuates men aren't men unless they've fought evil.
I could go on.
No wonder men feel unimportant, uninvolved, not respected and devalued.
- Rio Madeira - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
Men (and women) are only harmed by those constructs when they can't recognize them. They usually include the buffoonish husband stereotype, the Abercrombie-model standard of attractiveness, and the constant overvaluing of sex, alcohol, and useless electronics.
- Rio Madeira - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
Being that I am female, and believe in equality, I suppose I would consider myself a feminist. I have to at least credit feminism for my ability to enter a university, vote, and compete for the same jobs that men can compete for.
I do see ways in which men are harmed by media-propelled stereotypes:
1.) Black men are portrayed as violent criminals, often participants in gangs, who are to be feared by other members of society. The media does little to address the increased rate at which black men are victimized by crime, and only acknowledges them as perpetrators of crime.
2.) Men are seen as less capable when it comes to running a single-parent household. Most of the time, custody is awarded to women.
3.) Men are discouraged from revealing their emotions in an effort to appear more masculine. This means that often times the struggles of men are completely internalized, and failure to seek help or talk to someone about emotional struggles can lead to depression and suicide. Men are four times as likely to commit suicide, which is a large problem.
4.) Men are more likely to be convicted of malicious crimes than women are, and tend to get longer sentences.
5.) Men are not taken seriously as victims of domestic abuse. Society expects them to defend themselves and head their households, and the fact that they could be seriously injured by a woman is embarrassing and often dismissed by law enforcement.
6.) (Mentioned earlier) in sitcoms men are often portrayed as being less intelligent than their wives and even their children. They are incapable of heading their households and make irresponsible decisions, leaving their wives to clean up their messes and pull things back together. You can see this in Family Guy, The Simpsons, Everybody Loves Raymond, etc.
7.) Although I will say that women experience more pressure to conform to media-propelled beauty standards, there are definitely standards that harm men too. Men participate in the use of steroids and even develop eating disorders to strive for an unrealistic muscular body with very little fat content.
8.) Men are portrayed as sex-crazed and incapable of love or the desire to have a family. They are expected to fear commitment, have casual sex, and women tend not to trust them quickly because society has labelled them as users of women, unfaithful deviants whose only true desire is hedonism.
The media pits men and women against each other.
I'm sure I could list more ways in which men are discriminated against, but you get the idea. Stereotypes and societal constructs hurt men too. There are plenty of women who would agree with me. It isn't fair that these issues aren't as widely discussed.
- Kailey - 10-14-2012 05:07 PM
Social and media constructs harm men as well as women.
It is wrong to objectify men or women for their bodies. It is wrong to tell men or women that they "aren't attractive/sexy/desirable" unless they use certain products (Ie, AXE thinks you're a pig if you don't wash and condition your hair with their products)
Macho roles and stereotyping limit the choices and abilities of men to choose non-traditional jobs (Nursing, social work) that they are needed for, and good at!
It is also inappropriate to assume that men are bumbling idiots who always make mistakes and are terrible at raising children (which, is commonly shown as a media stereotype)
I also think that our society makes it hard for men to be emotional or weak. We still don't like feminine behaviors in men, while it is OK for women to do things that men do (be strong, aggressive and sexual).. In a similar vein, boys are not encouraged to play "girls games" which does them a disservice. All people should know how to take care of themselves and that includes cooking, cleaning, paying bills, and overall responsibility. In addition, both parents should have access and rights to their children.
As a feminist I believe that a man can be a "man" even if he likes to do things that are not "traditionally" masculine, and that a woman is still a woman, even if she works out of the home and watches football every Sunday.