Meninist Movement

[Hydrotroop91]

Have you guys heard about this movement? I'm concerned about it and the destruction of what feminists have done for gender equality. Some of these internet memes have been absolutely horribl. They jokingly advocate sexual and domestic violence. Make a mockery of women.

I know men have it tough too! No doubt but it is low in comparison to women. I want gender equality for all. There should not be any ridiculous expectations on either side. How do we stop such an awful movement and get equality for all? I know this certainly won't help. What about a movement called genderism? This covers cis males/females, trans, and intersex members.

Just wanted your thoughts on this.

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

Actually (but I have to dig really deep back into my memory for this... and I'm not good at it) I believe there is a difference between feminism (as a movement) and the women's movement. I took a course once, long ago, on gender at the university.

The women's movement was more subtle, more empathetic with men, than some times the extreme feminists are. The ones who scream on the top of their voices always have to ruin if for everyone. They managed to threaten a lot of men in their sexuality and identity, and so the men (and some women) make a mockery of it.

There are movements that are neutral. (my memory is so horrible, I will try to look it up for you, if you are interested). But these will always get over-shouted by the people who love drama and attention. It's very annoying but it works this way for all movements. Promoting neutral movements is worth a try... :)

 

[Anarchy]

When I first saw the title, I thought you were referring to Anabaptists:rolleyes:

I think any group seeking supremacy or special privilege deserves scorn.

 

[reallydown]

There has been a growing "men's movement" which is a cause for concern considering the misogyny they most often spew...In a differnet context, somehow many young men think it's okay to threaten violence against women (recent Dalhousie University dental school example). Many simply don't realize that feminism indeed advocates equality, not matriarchy 9though perhaps some radical feminists might)...I have to go now but thanks for starting this discussion. It is an important one.

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

"Feminism" as a word just has too much of an image now. The image consisting of women who are never pleased and always frustrated. But it is the image that a few extremists have put out there in the world. Who wants to pay attention to the feminists who talk softly, when there are feminists out there that are giving their own movement a bad name? They just make it easy on the misogynists to dismiss feminism as bitching.

@reallydown the majority of men around me know that women still don't have equal rights, and are very eager to help women :) But you are right that there is still a lot of them out there who feel their "manhood" endangered by women..

 

[Anarchy]

a short quote from a long article by one of my intellectual heroes (?heroines) Wendy McElroy:

"I believe most universities are cheating students when they teach them what they call "feminism." What is being taught -- and often imposed through policies like speech codes -- is just one school of feminism, one ideology within a far broader and richer tradition. In the next 40 minutes, I'll be presenting another perspective...a dissenting view.

The dominant voice of feminism today is what has been called "gender feminism" -- a controversial term. This is the sort of feminism espoused by NOW, the National Organization for Women. And one of the myths that NOW-style feminists have been able to successfully sell is that anyone who disagrees with their approach on almost any issue, from sexual harassment to child custody, from affirmative action to domestic violence to abortion...anyone who disagrees is anti-feminist and, perhaps, even anti-woman..."
Dead Link Removed

 

[Seagreen]

I don't think one gender has it worse than the other. Society needs to be more open to talking about male gender equality.

There is a lot to gain for women and men by allowing this conversation. So long as it's respectivelful. Making it into a man vs women war isn't going to get us anywhere. Male and female gender equality should be tackled side by side. This conversation is way over due.

 

[sun seeker]

ctually (but I have to dig really deep back into my memory for this... and I'm not good at it) I believe there is a difference between feminism (as a movement) and the women's movement.

In matriarchal societies, there was a respect for the balance between male and female. The name is unfortunate because it gives the impression of women in charge and men submitting. Maybe it's that we're so far gone many of us can't imagine a world without conflict or hierarchy so we make the assumption that someone had to be in charge. Matriarchal societies understood what is called the Law of One, which is a deep respect for the place every being has in the whole. It's about harmony, not hierarchy. From a very long historical perspective, one of the reasons we've gotten so messed up is that we've lost that way of life in favour of one that assumes that might is right, that for one to be right another has to be wrong, that there isn't enough for everyone and we have to fight to survive. Matriarchy was about maintaining balance, not about women bossing men. Patriarchy isn't only a turning of the tables in terms of who is in charge, but in terms of this new belief that someone has to be in charge, at all.

I've had objections to the women's movement since I first heard of it, when I was about seven or eight, just intuitively. Much later I came across information that made me more sure about why. The kind of philosophy that is about screaming hatred of men, competing with them on their terms, treating the importance of raising children as less than having a high-powered career (I'm not saying there is anything wrong with choosing that, just objecting to the pressure to do either over the other) has always seemed wrong to me because it's missing the point. It's like a misguided revolution, like the parable Animal Farm. Replacing something not so good with something even worse. It completely misses the point, and I see evidence that the movement is purposely manipulated to that end.

Sorry, I'll climb down off my soap box now.

 

[rightkindofme]

I'm not sure that matriarchies are that... perfect sounding.

Feminism is a complicated subject. There have been schisms and subgroups and submovements from the beginning because.... all women don't want the same thing. Shocking, I know.

I'm not happy about the meninist movement. I've never seen a single thing from the movement that isn't misogynistic. I'll admit that there are problematic feminists, but I think equality is the only road forward.

 

[WillyKat]

[I thought it was Mennonites at first. Lol]

Equality is important, respect for women is important. The research on this topic shows that where women are disrespected by men, there's more rape. So any group like this, however small, is something to be concerned about.

That said, there's all sorts of groups out there and sometimes I think that the only way they can bring attention to themselves is by doing or saying something outrageous.

Anyone remember OathKeepers, which if I remember right was a sort of chivalrous version of male domination. Men must keep their oaths to women and not cheat, be good fathers, be good breadwinners, etc. with lots of religious overtones. They didn't mention women's rights though, which I felt was an interesting omission.

 

[rightkindofme]

Yeah, OathKeepers did not believe in rights for women. You should be a submissive wife at home.

 

[Hydrotroop91]

These are all great points! I was just jaw dropping when I heard about this new trend.