There is no 'war on men' - we now know feminism is good for boys
There is no war on men we now know feminism is good for boys
Laura Bates
A report shows that boys benefit from learning about gender stereotypes and different types of masculinity
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Instead of reinforcing stereotypes, the reports authors suggest, all children benefit from a feminist approach to learning. Photograph: Caia Image/Getty Images
Tue 8 Nov 2022 06.47 EST
Last modified on Tue 8 Nov 2022 08.36 EST
Disappointing news today for those who blame feminism for the problems facing young men: research shows that challenging gender stereotypes and misogyny helps boys too. A narrative has emerged over the last decade in popular culture and politics that portrays men and boys (particularly white, heterosexual ones) as in crisis, victimised by feminism and social justice movements, and now left behind or suffering so-called reverse discrimination. From the misogynistic memes that swirled around the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, to the male MPs attempting to debunk the bad press men have been getting, to the description of #MeToo as a witch-hunt on flagship radio programmes, this argument has been steadily building up steam.
However, The State of UK Boys report released today by the Global Boyhood Initiative shows that, instead of being victimised by feminism, boys are facing an entirely different crisis. Violence and being tough is normalised as a natural part of being a man, which encourages boys to see violence (particularly male-on-male violence) as an inevitable part of growing up. The study, which comprised a literature review alongside interviews with experts, also found that these kinds of stereotypes are present from birth, with families, schools and peer groups all playing their part. Of course the impact of this is immense, and reading about the boys in the report who justified male violence through notions of mens possession and ownership of women goes some way to explain the shockingly high levels of sexual assault in schools. But these stereotypes also harm boys look, for instance, at the under-reporting of violence and abuse against boys and men.
Instead of reinforcing these stereotypes, the reports authors suggest, all children would benefit from a feminist approach to learning (something that will come as no surprise to many feminists, who have been arguing for this for decades). For example, boys would benefit from learning about the problems with gender stereotypes, and also from a destigmatisation of close friendships between boys, which are often discouraged by homophobic ideals of masculinity. Encouraging male friendships, the study finds, would provide opportunities for boys to learn reciprocity, empathy and intimacy.
The idea that white, working-class boys are neglected and failing is both manufactured and actively misleading, the report states. White boys are in fact less likely than Black Caribbean, Black African and Bangladeshi students to claim free school meals, and less likely to be excluded from school than Black Caribbean boys. White boys who do not receive free school meals get higher grades than some minoritised groups, too. With this in mind, its worth asking who benefits from peddling these misleading claims, and why? Perhaps its those who want to keep the status quo as it is.
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Laura Bates is the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project (https://everydaysexism.com/) and author of Men Who Hate Women
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/08/feminists-war-on-men-misogyny-boys-gender-stereotypes-masculinity
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)and masculine toxicity. FFS, there is enough aggressiveness and fighting in the world without working to create it.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)IbogaProject
(2,835 posts)You know survival of the fittest. By their Libertarian values they are not competing in the love market and therefore have low value. We all need to refrain from providing any significant assistance to any avid GOP supporters who come up luckless in the dating 'market'. I know at least one myself and while I was willing to provide advice 20 some years ago, I won't offer help now. I did rib him when he was upset most of the dating market were 'liberals', I asked that his brand wasn't selling "isn't that the free market individually voting one by one against selfish conservativism?", mumble, mumble, excuses was all I remember him saying. This guy isn't even a MAGAt. Oh well dude.
niyad
(113,534 posts)he will eever acknowledge though.
MissMillie
(38,578 posts).