Whatifalthist discusses political poles and the influence of toxic femininity in history on them, though this isn't his main point. YouTube video here.

Article here. Excerpt:

'It is easy to identify many of the prominent feminist women throughout history—Mary Wollstonecraft, Betty Friedan, and Judith Butler—yet it is men, beginning with Charles Fourier, who have directed many of feminism’s key developments. Indeed, what is often called “feminism” cannot be separated from ideologically driven men who saw an opportunity to take advantage of or to cultivate detached and vulnerable women ripe for redirection toward their own social and political goals.
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Over time, a movement that claimed to strive for equality between men and women unmasked itself as a movement that sought to make women like men, and even deny the reality of meaningful biological differences altogether. While this is obvious in second-wave and third-wave feminism, these beliefs were present from the beginning of first-wave feminism, too.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'A feminist professor will lead a shake-up of the national curriculum for schools in England, the Government has announced.

Prof Becky Francis, the chief executive of learning charity the Education Endowment Foundation, will chair a wholesale review of the school syllabus “to breathe new life into our outdated curriculum”, the Education Secretary said on Friday.

The review will scrutinise all aspects of teaching material for pupils aged five to 18 and will “look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people,” the Department for Education (DfE) said.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Teaching has remained a predominantly female profession.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority said seven out of every 10 teachers identified as female, a number that increased to more than eight out of every 10 in primary school ranks.

There have been ongoing concerns about the rise of misogyny in Australian classrooms, led by online influencers such as Andrew Tate.
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From having a 16-year-old female student tell a male classmate that, "Miss wants to f*ck you", to Year 9 students projecting pornography on a whiteboard behind her while she took the roll, Ms Duffus said she had seen it all.

She said at times it made her feel like an emotional prostitute.

"I was accepting large sums of money to be the teenagers’ punching bag for the day," she said in an essay on her experience.

Article here. Excerpt:

'This new guidance that makes clear men who self-identity as women are not female and should not be recruited as such. This makes it fairer on the women who apply and the people who rely on a woman being in that role for reasons of privacy, dignity and safety.

However this new guidance also says men who change their legal status to female by obtaining a GRC can be recruited into a female role.

This highlights the absurdity of a law that expects a woman to waive her need for privacy or safety simply because a man gets a certificate.
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This new guidance is a step in the right direction. It bars the majority of men who identity as women from getting jobs reserved for women. Most transgender males do not have a GRC. But it leaves open a loophole for a small number to access these jobs with a GRC. More progress is needed before this is truly fair on women.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Women-only music festival Burning Woman criticised over refund troubles

Burning Woman, a women’s music and arts festival which was due to be held in Lincolnshire this month, has been criticised over refund troubles.

The festival cancelled its 2024 edition after announcing that it had been the target of harassment online and also faced financial struggles ahead of its event, which was due to take place from July 19 - 21 at Belvoir Castle, close to Grantham.

“This was not an easy decision,” organisers wrote in an Instagram post. “We have poured our hearts and souls into creating a transformative and empowering event for you, especially amidst the challenges of the pandemic, last-minute venue change, and the rising cost of living.”

Burning Woman claimed that it had been subject to “relentless harassment from an anonymous group of women” who “spread untruths about the company”.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'A number of European countries halted mandatory conscription after the end of the Cold War, but several nations – particularly in Scandinavia and the Baltics – have reintroduced it in recent years, largely because of the Russian threat. Failure to enlist can result in fines or even jail time in some countries.

Latvia is the latest to implement conscription. Compulsory military service  was reintroduced on January 1 this year, after being abolished in 2006. Male citizens will be put up for the draft within 12 months of reaching the age of 18, or graduation for those still in the education system.

“At first there was a lot of pushback,” said Arturs Pīlācis, a 20-year-old student. He’s yet to go up for the draft but voluntarily went on a month-long military course.'

Comedian Bill Burr popped up on my Facebook feed with this. He hits the nail on the head about things like alimony. You'll probably need to have a Facebook account to access.

Article here. Excerpt:

'Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other DHS officials lashed out at critics of female Secret Service agents who have slammed the agency in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

In a Saturday afternoon statement attributed to Mayorkas and 10 others – including Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle – DHS lashed out at criticism of women in policing.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'All of these narratives are an effort to get you to look away. We knew who the perpetrator was before knowing who he was: a lonely young man with access to weapons of war trying to recapture social status with a (perceived) heroic act of violence.
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I’ve written and spoken a lot about the obstacles — financial, educational, social, sexual, spiritual — facing young men today, so I won’t relitigate my case. If you’re interested, read more here or here or check out my TED talk.

The CliffsNotes: Over the past generation there’s been a deliberate transfer of wealth from the young to the old. Among other things, the result is unaffordable and indefensible costs for education and housing. Things are especially bad for boys and young men.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Without direction from the federal government, athletic departments will have to decide how to allocate the new revenue share money between men and women. Administrators will have to choose between paying a higher portion to men, risking potential lawsuits, or equally sharing revenue with men and women, risking falling behind competitors in football recruiting.
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When it comes to revenue share dollars provided directly by the schools, athletic department officials have told ESPN they don't know whether they must give a proportionally equal amount of money to men and women or if equitable treatment means that they can allocate the roughly $20 million based on each athlete's value in the NIL market.

Article here. Excerpt:

'The State of Menopause 2024 report found that a significant portion of women are advocating for better workplace accommodations to manage menopause.

Out of the over 2,000 women experiencing pre-menopause or menopause symptoms and aged 40 to 64 surveyed, 51% want more workplace support for menopause, yet 76% have no accommodations.

The report suggest potential workplace support could include increased time off, more flexible schedules and fostering an empathetic environment. Some changes such as allowing for breaks when needed and providing access to resources, could make a difference in the lives of menopausal women.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Toxic masculinity refers to a type of hyper-masculinity that causes aggression, self-importance, dominance, and lack of consideration for others’ feelings and needs.1 The term originated in the late 20th century and is now associated with extreme misogyny and anti-feminist rhetoric.

It’s thought that toxic masculinity gets instilled in people assigned male at birth because of how they are raised and by the messages society sends them about what it means to be a successful or powerful male.

The effects of toxic masculinity are far-reaching and can include aggression, emotional dysregulation, violence toward marginalized people, and the upholding of harmful gender norms.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'The Israeli military announced Tuesday it will begin sending draft notices to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men on Sunday.

That follows a landmark Supreme Court order for young religious men to begin enlisting for military services. Under long-standing political arrangements, ultra-Orthodox men had been exempt from the draft, which is compulsory for most Jewish men.

The system created widespread resentment among the general public in Israel, especially after more than nine months of war against Hamas militants in Gaza. The court ruled that the system of exemptions was discriminatory.'

Video here. BlueOrange22 asks why men are still being discriminated against and not seeming to care.