UK: Night on domestic violence focuses on male victims

Story here. Excerpt:

'A conference about domestic violence against men and a candle-light vigil to honour slain London police officer David Lucio will be held Saturday.

Monday marks the third anniversary of Lucio’s death. The retired London police superintendent was shot by acting police inspector Kelly Johnson, with whom Lucio had broken off a relationship.

The conference will focus on “the rarely talked about reality of domestic violence against men,” according to a news release.

Lucio’s father, Doug Lucio, will speak at the conference about his views about his son’s treatment by London police after his death.'

Like0 Dislike0

From Here & Back Again: Boys versus Girls

Article here. Excerpt:

'Today, there still seems to be a held belief that girls suffer discrimination in schools, even to the point that teachers and school administrators, when shown empirical evidence, will not believe that it is boys who have suffered and are suffering.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, slightly more girls than boys actually enroll in high-level math and science courses, girls outnumber boys in student government and honor societies, on school newspapers and in debating clubs.

Girls read more, test higher in music and art, study abroad more and are more actively engaged in school.

Guess where boys are ahead. Yes, in sports, but the gap is closing rapidly.

Girls also go on to college more than boys, and one silly prediction was made that at the present rate of change, the last boy to receive a bachelor’s degree will be in 2062.

Like0 Dislike0

The Atlantic: 'The End of Men'

Article here. Excerpt:

Like0 Dislike0

CNN: Kids of lesbians have fewer behavioral problems, study suggests

Article here. Excerpt:

'A nearly 25-year study concluded that children raised in lesbian households were psychologically well-adjusted and had fewer behavioral problems than their peers.
...
Funding for the research came from several lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocacy groups, such as the Gill Foundation and the Lesbian Health Fund from the Gay Lesbian Medical Association.

Dr. Nanette Gartrell, the author of the study, wrote that the "funding sources played no role in the design or conduct of the study."
...

Wright questioned the objectivity of Gartrell's research, saying the author can "cherry pick people who are involved and the info they release."

"In essence, this study claims to purport that children do better when raised by lesbians," she said.

Studies have shown that children thrive having both a mother and a father, Wright said.

Like0 Dislike0

Abusegate Targets Anti-Family Lawmakers for Electoral Defeat

From Abusegate Bob:

This press release went out to about 20,000 media outlets today:

WASHINGTON / June 9, 2010 – Twenty national lawmakers, known for their advocacy of policies that promote false allegations and serve to break-up families, have been targeted for electoral defeat in November.

The 20 lawmakers are supporters of discriminatory laws such as the International Violence Against Women Act that are known to violate fundamental civil rights and escalate partner tensions. The 20 Democratic and Republican lawmakers are listed at the end of this press release.

“Domestic violence laws that promote ‘false allegations’ of domestic violence contribute to the destruction of families. Such laws remove the right of many children to know one of their parents, and often their grandparents,” explains Sheryle Hutter of Colorado. “Thanks to such laws, my son hasn’t seen his daughter for 10 years, and I have not seen my grandchild for more than 3 years.”

Like0 Dislike0

St. Petersburg Times: Inside Tampa domestic violence shelter, there's quite a storm

Article here. Excerpt:

'TAMPA — Joanne Lighter was hired at the Spring of Tampa Bay to position Florida's largest domestic violence shelter for the future. Tampa's beloved charity had churned through executives and interim executives for nearly 10 years. It needed new phones and computers, but also stability and a long-range plan.

Two years later, Lighter has left a trail of broken relationships and hurt feelings through Tampa's philanthropic community.

Donors have pulled support and fundraisers have been scrapped. The Spring's mission is "in peril," as the chairman of the board wrote to donors in April, and the shelter could soon have to turn victims away.

Lighter says she is doing the job the board gave her, and that change is hard.

Lighter's critics — including former Spring employees, volunteers and board members — say she is verbally abusive, has fired good people and is dragging down an important Tampa institution that provided emergency shelter for more than 2,000 domestic violence victims last year.'

Like0 Dislike0

'Come for the Pizza, Stay for the Deconstruction of Masculinity'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Getting teenage boys to engage in gender theory can require a soft approach. The vague title of the clubs—“Men of Strength”—dodges the activist implications of the D.C.-based organization that runs them: Men Can Stop Rape. At the beginning of each school year, MOST facilitators arrive on campus and lure in participants. “Last year, we were hanging out outside school, and some people were like, ‘we need some males over here to eat some free pizza,’” says Eugene, a 16-year-old junior at Foggy Bottom’s School Without Walls. At that first MOST meeting, Eugene and a dozen other guys were fed pizza and offered free movie tickets; over the next school year, they came back each Tuesday for the pizza, and gradually advancing conversations on gender. Now, “I kind of like to keep the MOST club secret from other dudes,” says Eugene. “We all have this strong connection with each other . . . But also, if you bring more people in, then there are fewer slices.”'

Like0 Dislike0

Egypt to strip men married to Israelis of citizenship

The feminist assertion that men have more rights than women, especially in societies that are (supposedly) patriarchal, is false. The latest example of this can be found here. If men are so powerful, why is it that the fundamental right to belong as part of the most basic political body a modern state can have (ie, the right of citizenship), can be summarily discharged simply for having married "the wrong kind of woman" -- or indeed, for any other reason that happens to become fashionable to those in charge? Excerpt:

'CAIRO (AFP) – A Cairo court on Saturday upheld a ruling to strip Egyptian men married to Israeli women of their citizenship in a case that has highlighted national sentiment towards Israel.

Judge Mohammed al-Husseini, sitting on the Supreme Administrative Court, said the interior ministry must ask the cabinet to take the necessary steps to strip Egyptian men married to Israeli women, and their children, of their citizenship.

Like0 Dislike0

Men's Rights Group Defeats "the Barbara Boxer Clone of India"

From Abusegate Bob:

Boxer's feminist clone was defeated in India today.

The Indian Version of Barbara Boxer (Former Women's Minister Renuka Choudhury) is defeated once again today. She passed and implemented the second domestic violence law in India in 2006.

As per latest reports she was denied nomination to India's upper house of Parliament. Just a few days back, she was a clear favorite even with a section of media backing her.

From an activist in India:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Jairam-Ramesh-gets-RS-ticket-Renuka-loses-out/articleshow/6009539.cms

"Former minister for women and child development Renuka Chowdhury, whose name was being touted as a possible candidate, lost out in the race."

Like0 Dislike0

Abusegate: 10 Reasons why Barbara Boxer will soon be Toast

From Abusegate Bob:

Yesterday we launched the “Adopt-a-Politician: Clean up Washington!” campaign, listing 20 Senators and Representatives we are targeting for defeat on November 2: http://abusegate.mensnewsdaily.com/2010/06/04/adopt-a-politician-10-reasons-why-barbara-boxer-has-got-to-go/. Every one of these lawmakers has been unsympathetic to our repeated requests to reform the Violence Against Women Act.

And one politico is the undisputed champion in terms of her long-standing, unwavering, and dogmatic support for anti-family domestic violence laws: Senator Barbara Boxer of California. That makes Ms. Boxer the numero uno target for our Adopt-a-Politician campaign.'

[ Please see the full page at the link above for the rest of this article ]

Like0 Dislike0

UK: Cameron in U-turn on rape case anonymity which could now only apply until suspects are charged

Article here. Excerpt:

'Plans to give anonymity to men accused of rape have been dramatically scaled back.

Two weeks ago, the coalition pledged to give men the same protection as their accusers, whose identities are never revealed.

But yesterday David Cameron indicated the accused would be named if prosecutors brought charges.

His comments, at Prime Minister's Questions, suggested any suspects released by police without charge would have their names permanently shielded from the public.'

Like0 Dislike0

The Masculinity Conspiracy: Chapter 2 now online

The Masculinity Conspiracy is a free online book about masculinity. Chapter 2 (History) is now online: http://masculinityconspiracy.com

This chapter examines how the theme of history is mobilized in the conspiracy via two books: Manliness by Harvey Mansfield, and Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution by Ken Wilber.

I show how these books promote a masculinity of fixed characteristics that is biologically determined and bound by history.

I then offer some different ways of thinking about masculinity and history in order to counter the conspiracy.

Like0 Dislike0

Feministing: 'Feminism and male circumcision'

Article here. Excerpt:

'I recently had a baby boy (my second) and of course the topic of circumcision came up. I educated myself on circumcision and how it is totally medically unnecessary to circumcise a healthy baby's penis and felt that doing so would pretty much amount to mutilating him for no other reason than because everybody else is doing it too. Unfortunately when I made up my mind about it, it was already too late. He was getting circumcised at that doctor's appointment.

My husband reported that our son seemed fine- that although we were told they wouldn't use pain relief he believes they did because he seems a-ok. That was until the first diaper change..and every diaper change after that for the next four days when my baby would shake and scream in pain...
...
I am now firmly on the side against circumcision and only wish I had actually looked deeper into this before my sons were circumcised. I honestly went along with the crowd on it and thought it was just one of things you do to your sons, get them circumcised.

Like0 Dislike0

More Wives Look to Upgrade Engagement Rings

Story here. Excerpt:

'When Elizabeth Robichaux Brown got married nine years ago, she made a vow to love her husband, for better or for worse, until their dying days.

She did not make that same kind of commitment to her ring.

So, a few months ago, she did what more and more women are doing: She gave her original engagement ring an upgrade, placing two stones which she calls "the twins" on each side of her solitaire diamond.

"When I first got my ring, it was like, 'OK, I like this ring.' But I knew that eventually I would make it a different type of ring," she said. "I got a carat-and-a-half pear when I got married, but I always knew I wanted two pears on the side."

While Brown added on, some women are trading in their original engagement rings and wedding bands for something else. No longer seen as a symbol to be worn for an eternity, rings are being upgraded like some people trade in cars or remodel an aging kitchen.'

Like0 Dislike0

Letter from India: "The Problem of Working With Men"

Article here. Excerpt:

'In the 1990s, it became popular to talk about “engendering development.” The stated goal was to include more women in the development process, to right historical gender inequalities and make sure that aid money flowed equally to both sexes.

These are laudable goals. But what often goes unspoken in the practice of engendered development is that aid agencies want to work with women not just because they have traditionally been excluded, but also because men are harder to work with.

Indeed, in many ways, and in striking contrast to women, men often represent something of an impediment to development. As Jerald Moris, who has been working in rural development for more than 20 years, said to me: “Working with women’s groups is more efficient.” He added that a rupee spent on women goes further than on men.
...
He laughed when he told me all this; the irony wasn’t lost on him. Still, he said that in his view development was a “holistic” process. You couldn’t have real progress without including men.

Like0 Dislike0

Pages

Subscribe to Mensactivism.org RSS