“Kill All Men”: On Humor and Trauma

Article here. Excerpt:

'Resentment or anger towards men composes much of the popular “relatable” content online. The issues encoded in those messages can speak to irritating nuances of gender dynamics and misogyny, or bring attention to more serious, persistent problems in our world. Many of these emotions of fear, anger, or contempt are encapsulated in the phrase, “Kill all men.” While it can certainly appear crude, the phrase is ultimately a humorous method of coping with trauma or the prevalent possibility of it in women’s lives — and inappropriate responses from men only further embolden the issue.
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Another user, @uwu_kinny, uses the hashtag to vent: “Just argued with a guy for an entire hour about why u have to ask for consent and I lost all hope in the male species #killallmen.” In its popular, colloquial usage, the phrase has never been understood as a literal call to action, despite many men’s rights activists believing so to further invalidate feminism.

So the humor and irony of the phrase are clear, but its purpose runs deeper than comedic catharsis. It exposes the unnoticeable nuance of misogyny that pervades the lives of all women. Further, it shows how deeply misogyny is embedded into the fabric of our culture, and how men and women are socialized alongside those beliefs. Perhaps some of the most dangerous elements of any form of prejudice are the insidious ways in which it bleeds into everyday life.'