UK: It's time for Men's Lib: Why we're witnessing the beginning of a men's movement

Submitted by anthony on Thu, 2009-11-26 13:17

Article here. Excerpt:

'We are witnessing the beginnings of a men's movement, with newly-formed groups of young men who have set out to find answers to the vexing question of how modern men are supposed to behave.

Two such groups have recently announced their existence and their purpose.

At Manchester University, there is MENS Society - Masculinity Exploring Network and Support.

Ben Wild, who's a history and politics student, has set up the group because he feels young men find it hard to live up to an idealised masculine role.

By that, I suspect he means it's not every guy who can shine on the rugby field, bring home top quality bacon and change a nappy, while rustling up a cordon bleu dinner and ironing a pristine shirt.

The truth is that, in 2009, men are every bit as as oppressed by unrealistic expectations and outdated stereotypes as women.'

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Comments

based on the topic description, this is a little to f.p.c. for me (feminist p.c. - "there's something wrong with masculinity"). And no, I do not believe that this is 'better than nothing'.

-ax

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Submitted by axolotl on Sat, 2009-11-28 05:58

I differ. I see it as a good start when men begin questioning their gender role on their own, apart from feminist influence. That is exactly how NCFM began in the 1970s. It was a group of men who branched away from feminist male groups, not to reinforce gender roles to but focus on how the male role has been sacrificial and limiting to men, rather than focusing on how it has made men the "privileged" and made them "dominate" (the "patriarchy" model). That eventually led to men questioning the "patriarchy" model and led to men learning about discrimination against men. Part of overcoming our gender role is to learn to speak out against it when males are discriminated against. So I see this as a good thing. Even the Men In Power group at Univ. of Chicago (now "Men Initiating Progress") had a wide variety of different viewpoints among them and that's a good sign in my opinion because it will draw dialogue absent the controlling and threatening power of feminist lies such as in Women's Studies programs where nobody can speak up. I also don't see this group as saying there is something "wrong" with masculinity but instead that as times change so does the concept of masculinity and these men are absolutely right to come together in groups to discuss the issue of how things are changing and how it affects them and what it all means etc. etc. and search for answers. That is a very good sign to me, even if it's not yet a full-scale MR movement per se. The MR movement is still growing worldwide and this can only draw people to it as they examine the varying viewpoints related to men and gender.

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Submitted by Marc A. on Mon, 2009-11-30 02:20