I have been doing some digging around looking into this MRA idea. I keep seeing it. Keep bumping up against the pale opininons of these "activists" for men's rights. What do they want? What rights do they think they don't have? Well, my digging paid off big time when I hit on this site UK Men's Movement and finally got to understand what all this male angst is about.
I urge you to go there today. Read of the suffering. The pain. The centuries old struggle to maintain power over women. Read about how women live longer than men. Learn about the injustice of "women returners" courses at various colleges, where women who have taken time out of their careers to give birth and raise children are helped back into the workplace. Marvel that there is no equivalent course for men.
Be appalled at sexual harassment laws used "deliberately by women against men they wish to attack." Take umbrage with these men at the existence of "women only syndrome", where women get their own male-free hour at the swimming pool or library. Feel the rage that comes from knowing that there is, in the UK, a Minister for Women with no male equivalent. But above all that: think about, digest and understand the feelings of violation and degradation knowing that "circumcision on men is still allowed by law, while being a criminal offence on women." The horror.
Yes. Now I know all I needed to know. Men's Rights Activists are just not that bright. Go, read the whole thing. You'll get angry, you'll want to argue each and every point. You'll want to explain how and why these men are getting it wrong. You'll really want to explain the difference between circumcision and FGM. But after a while you'll settle down and wake up to the fact that you would be wasting your words. You'll slowly come to the knowledge that this is only a part of the overarching patriarchal society in which we radfems make our homes. You'll realise that this MRA crap isn't the new threat you thought it was, it's just the boisterous ramblings of a few angry men. We see and hear it every day in many forms. Get over it men, you're saying nothing new.
5 comments:
I really don't know how to handle MRAs. On one hand, life is short, and my temper can't take them, so I want to just ignore them.
But then I start to worry that what if people who aren't activists, but aren't closed-minded, start to listen to them. Do we have to rebut what they say to prevent that? We could talk the rest of our lives about the issues, and still not have time to rebut their asinine claims. So I just don't know how to handle them.
To be clear-I don't believe arguing with what MRAs say will have any impact on *them*. I just worry about people who haven't been thinking about these issues.
Yes, I totally understand your point. I will (eventually) be taking on all these points made by the UK mEns Movement as well as others, just so that those folks you mention might see the other side of the argument. I suppose it sometimes feels like a colossal waste of breath and that's how I was reacting in my post...pessimism sometimes sweeps over me! ;-)
I think it is unfortunate and incredibly dishonest that you chose to look only at an anger-driven site rather than try to understand the issues the men's movement is actually concerned with. It seems you would prefer to label it "stupid" without ever taking a close look at it.
I could offer sites which would provide a greater understanding of the movement, but I do not think that would sway you. Again, that is unfortunate because the resulting conclusion many will draw from your mischaracterization is that you support the actions the men's movement fights against, such as female rapists, female domestic abusers, male genital mutilation, parental alienation, biased sentencing practices, and the denial of services to male victims.
I would challenge you to honestly research the men's movement rather than pick out the most vitriolic voices you can find.
to the contrary, Toy Soldier. I would be delighted to learn more. What I have encountered in ALL my internet and RL experiences with MRAs is adequately represented by my choice of site in the post. I am unable to find ANY site that does not focus on anger-driven non-issues. If you know of better info, please share.
"such as female rapists, female domestic abusers, male genital mutilation, parental alienation, biased sentencing practices, and the denial of services to male victims. "
Even the very few issues that MRA focus on that have validity are overshadowed by the tremendous misogyny, rape and abuse apologetics and general bigotry.
Good fathers deserve fair access to their children. While circumcision is nothing like FGM, it's still a stupid and pointless practice and should stop. NO ONE - male or female - should ever have to endure abuse - sexual or otherwise. And all victims should have (and in most cases do have) access to services.
However, there isn't a single feminist who argues against these things. But that doesn't stop the mras lying and blaming feminists for everything, all the time.
It's only mra's who pretend women are never "really" raped, that a woman breaking a cup is the same thing as her husband breaking her arm, and that a domestic abuser deserves to have custody of his children. Or, women should be domestic slaves, voiceless incubators, and recepticles for whatever abuses men heap on them.
Regardless of the level of hyperbole, one thing remains constant on ALL mra sites - women are the evil enemy, but never humans or potential allies.
Post a Comment