Occasionally I take on the grand task of Understanding Mens Rights™. I think to myself, ‘goodness there seems to be a blossoming population of people who really believe feminists are destructive to society and male privilege doesn’t exist… they must have some convincing arguments!’ Oh but there are none. Why do I do this?!?!? I am only setting myself up for extreme disappointment. Fuck Mens Rights™ advocates. I will give you a kitten if you can explain one point of Mens Rights™ to me that doesn’t make me want to puke up my dinner.
Male rape victims being provided services
male victims of abuse being provided services
both of the above being recognized by society
judicial fairness
laws which do not entitle nor discriminate between sexes
i could go on, but i expect at least five kittens for now.
:D thanks for replying to me, worldsweburntogether!
I totally agree with everything you said, these are things that I fight for with my feminism! I think that male survivors not being supported or provided services is a result of the misogynism and patriarchy of our society that tells men they must be tough and macho. Also, judicial fairness would be improved by deconstructing patriarchal epistemologies. Sexual violence is often a result of power structures and systems of oppression and so I believe that it’s important to provide services to survivors with a focus on minority groups, be that men or women of color, disabled men and women, LGBTQ folks, men and women from lower socioeconomic classes, etc.
And I’m curious on the judicial fairness and discriminatory laws points. In my opinion, both men and women are discriminated in the judicial system because laws often adhere to gender stereotypes. Female victims are often turned away because people believe they are overreacting or lying (because women are hormonal and illogical according to our societal norms) and males are often turned away because of the idiotic misconception that men can’t be raped or abused (because men always want sex or could defend themselves if they needed to acc. to societal norms)
So my question to you is: Do you see much difference between what I’m trying to accomplish with feminism and what you’re trying to accomplish with your activism? If you also see the parallels that I see, why is it that men’s rights activism and feminist activism have to be so antagonized?
well, i think male survivors not being provided services is a result of misandry, as misogyny would indicate discrimination toward women and w’re not talking about women.
that would probably be the first problem between you and an MRA. an MRA would feel male victims being treated poorly is a result of men being treated poorly. a feminist may/often does feel that men being treated poorly is a result of women being treated poorly.
i think judicial fairness would be improved by… well, enforcing judicial fairness. raising awareness of misandry, for example, may assist in showing them men are being mistreated. feminism tends to focus on how women are treated. the MRA tend to focus on how men are treated.
i think non-consensual sexual violence is often a result of people being screwed up in the head and having a thirst for power. to my understanding, rapists tend to rape on account of what amounts to a power trip. i’m not sure what you mean by power structures, unless you mean that the rapist is the powered and the victim is the non-powered.
well, there are currently a number of laws which favor women explicitly, federal programs which are only available to women while no such programs exist for men, and parenting rights. women are also able to force men into legalized debt slavery should they so choose, which i think is a bit unfair. many MRAs will fight for the right to opting out of child support. since women can opt out of having children, as is their bodily right, they feel that men should have the right to opt out of being a father, as is their financial right. well. it isn’t their right, but hopefully that will one day change.
you’re right about the rape thing, of course. for example, men aren’t even federally recognized as being victims of female-on-male rape, and the UK states that women cannot rape. at all. the MRAs feel this is rather unfair, considering it is systemic misandry.
yes, i do see the difference, though i myself am not an MRA.
feminism is focused on women.
the MRM is focused on men.
and that will always be the downfall of both.
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