Masculinism

[Alpha]

Time to revive debates.

Transcript from Psychology Today:

From “Desire,” a poem by Stephen Dobyns:

 

Why have men been taught to feel ashamed
of their desire, as if each were a criminal
out on parole, a desperado with a long record
of muggings, rapes, such conduct as excludes
each one from all but the worst company,
and never to be trusted, no never to be trusted?
Why must men pretend to be indifferent as if each
were a happy eunuch engaged in spiritual thoughts?

The feminists have had their say over the years, and most men got the message: It’s not okay to objectify females, to see them as a conglomeration of body parts, to speak to them as if there is a microphone nestled between their breasts, or to act as if young women strutting the streets in mini-miniskirts and revealing halter tops are the least bit interesting to us unless they also happen to be carrying a copy of Goethe’s Faust. (I just learned that photographers would often stick a copy of Proust or Dostoevski into Marilyn Monroe’s hand before shooting, to round out the picture, so to speak. Ironically, Monroe actually was an avid reader of great literature and, contrary to her two-dimensional, pin-up calendar image, it turns out she was actually a person as well. Who knew?)

So we got it.  Women are not merely sexual objects of desire. But what happened to men in the process of their feminist education?  Poet Robert Bly, in Iron John, was very critical of typical “New Age Sensitive Males” who had essentially cut off their own genitals in the effort to distance themselves from the macho idiots that incur the wrath of women, and to become the thoughtful feeling blokes women claimed they wanted them to be.  There was a rude awakening for many of us though, when we discovered that yes, women wanted us to be sensitive and respectful friends and fellow workers, but more often than not, they still often preferred the “bad boys” in the bedroom.  We were duped, and gypped.

Should we have a masculinist movement? And even if we do have one, is it going to inhibit the progress of the feminist movements? Or perhaps it could make it easier to blur some of the continuing abuses men turn to because they think their gender permits them everything?

Your views.  

And a side question for the males: do you ever cry in front of anyone else (except your mother)? Have you ever been prohibited from crying because "men do not cry"?

If you do not wish to talk about yourself, you can refer to anonymous friends.

[Becca]

I think that it may inhibit the progress of the feminist movement, as masculinists would extol the virtues of being the naturally agressive male who is supposed to protect thir women...when the feminists are trying to make men and women equal. 

[Alpha]

+rep Becca.

You are the only one who replied.

[Alpha]

I think that it may inhibit the progress of the feminist movement, as masculinists would extol the virtues of being the naturally agressive male who is supposed to protect thir women...when the feminists are trying to make men and women equal. 

But who said masculinists will hamper feminine existence?

Perhaps feminists extol feminine values, to the detriment of the males.

[Becca]

Heheh, thanks, Ocean! (wow, that sounds a little weird! XD) +rep for you too!

Well,that may be true, but the way I see it, masculinists may insist that women be treated as though they're inferior to men. It would be good though, if masculinists emerge, as it may provide a nice balance to the feminist movement.  But, just as what masculinists themselves would say, men are more aggressive and reckless than women, and who knows what would happen to women if masculinists emerge? As it is, the feminist movement mostly demand equality between men and women, which is all right in my view, but what if masculinists demand that women stay at home and submit to them, against their will?

I hope that my words are not too confusing...

[Becca]

A world without any 'gender-ist' movement would be possible if there is absolutely no discrimination between the sexes... However, the first few feminists had to do what they did as men were given too much of an upper hand over women.

[Becca]

Well, that may be true in a few countries, but there are still several countries, which I think I'd better not name, that still bar women from many things like driving a car and having a job... I also read somewhere that, in certain places, women who have been raped have ended up in jail after being charged with unlawful sex. Hence, I think that feminists still have a long way to go in achieving their aim.

Oh, and to be honest, I feel that women seeking to achieve superiority OVER men, instead of equality, are actually no better than men who wish to hold on to their superiority over women, because why should any gender have the opportunity to discriminate against the other?

[Alpha]

Till a feminist or masculinist movement is a Human Rights movement, there ought be no problem. And it's wrong to assume money is wasted on feminist organisations, given the blatant fact that ages back women had no right to work nor vote, which meant that almost half of the population of most countries consisted of repressed females who, except child bearing and house keeping, were allowed to do nothing else for their economies.

[Becca]

True, true... Perhaps the emergence of masculinists would be good if the feminists are starting to repress men. There are always extremists out there, who may want to rein supreme over men just because they're ................ men. 

[Alpha]

Oh well... Men do are dominated by women in certain matriarchal societies. Polygamy, then male slavery. 

[Becca]

What, really?! I always thought that men practised polygamy by having many wives... There are women with many husbands? Where is this happening? 

[Alpha]

Yesh, shocking, but true.

Men practice polygyny. Women practise polyandry.

In some African countries. Some specific tribes, the names of which I've forgotten. In Nigeria they do, if I remember this much.

You asking cause you're a woman? You'll have to live in Africa for that.

[Becca]

Hahahah, it's okay, I think that I'll stick to monogamy, if I ever do get married!

Wow, in this case, there should be some masculinists helping repressed men if these men are forced to do all of this against their own will... Judging from my own reaction, I think that something must be done to spread awareness on this! Well, I suppose that there should be some form of masculinist movement to help these men, but it should not hamper feminists who are seeking equality between the sexes... 

[Alpha]

Well, I think now we must add one more task to the gender movements' list of to-do's: to prevent men from becoming women, and women from becoming men.  

[Becca]

Hahahah, so true...   That is in addition to the effort to achieve equality between men and women, in which neither of them should discriminate against the other!