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6 comments
It is a highly incorrect and harmful stereotype that feminism exists simply to serve women
How feminism benefits the general population:
How feminism benefits men:
I do agree, but with caveats. Largely to do with its public image and how it handles issues outside its scope.
For one, not all gender issues can be reduced to patriarchy, and no social issues should be judged as "real" or not based on how they can be retconned into patriarchy theory. This is very much the case with how men's issues are viewed or discussed. Or more often, how they are not.
A common attitude might go like "homelessness is mostly male. That is why men need feminism. So come join this group that does absolutely nothing to acknowledge homelessness as a male issue, nor do much to reduce homelessness as a whole."
Similarly, they need to acknowledge women's agency and power where it exists. This isn't just acknowledging women in power, but acknowledging that not all social pressures originate from men. Women are major sources of social pressures and influence, and I very often see this ignored when such pressures are negative.
In my own experience, I have never been told to "man up" by a man. Similarly, "he is just insecure" is a common talking point to degrade men who disagree, despite the insistence that "man up" originates solely from patriarchy. It is generally seen that men should be restricting what they do or say because of the social pressures it creates, but it would be unthinkable that women be subject to these same restrictions, as though they do not create similar pressures.
This, to me, is one of several cases of what I call "retreating to hypoagency", a tactic I consider to be especially anti-feminist. Essentially, the moment people say you are capable of harm, you jump to taking a stance of "I am just . I incapable of such things". Another such example is the "---ism requires prejudice plus power", which is a blunt refusal to reflect on your own prejudice on the basis of race/sex/age etc.
For another, pop-feminist and feminist journalism need to do a lot of work on things like interpreting statistics. For instance, the ratio of military deaths may be 99% men and 1% women. If ~1% fewer men died in combat, that might go to ~98% and ~2%. This is exactly NOT the time to release a report saying "Women's military death rates double! Why is the military sending women to die?!" This sort of reporting is exactly where feminism gets its stereotypes and creates its biggest critics.
But do note that you are often most critical of what you love. Feminism has done wonders especially for women but also a great deal for men. This is why I am more interested in critiquing the methods and especially the PR, and less interested in creating some new movement per se.
The only people feminism negatively impacts is rapists, misogynists, pedophiles and abusers.
Feminism isn't even good for women.
All Id like to say that we should live in harmony where women and men have the same exact rights. Currently? That's not even close to the truth as of now. Some countries have more rights for men and some for women. All of us human beings, yes different, but we live on one planet that is not replaceable, that should be enough motivation to create some peace amongst humankind!
What we want is equality across all genders / sexes. Feminism had it's place - but modern day feminism has mutated in a way which is overall damaging to true equality goals.
The pendulum approach to eqaulity (push hard in the opposite direction) always causes constant swing. Instead we need more people aiming for the true center (equality).
Make the case or invite a friend to comment!