General Discussion

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)

141. Not to side-track the discussion; but ...

Wed Jan 30, 2013, 09:12 PM

Jan 2013

I have direct experience with this question (only a little different).

Back in the late '80s, early '90s, I worked in the Civil Rights field. This put me in contact with a number of other organizations addressing Civil Rights (specifically, housing and integration) issues. The coalition that grew up around these issues was pretty much racially balanced.

However, I got into alot of trouble when after listening to a white guy Director of a "Racial Conciliation" agency preach for hours and hours on what Black people need to do. Finally, I suggested (as politely as my anger would allow) that maybe he should focus on what white people can do to address discrimination; rather than, instruct Black people on how to be worthy (in white eyes) to rent or purchase, wherever their money could take them.

I was escorted out of the meeting and not invited back.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

147 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Should men be leaders in the feminist movement? [View all] boston bean Jan 2013 OP

Why not? Zoeisright Jan 2013 #1

bingo! liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #11

Men have important roles to fill Warpy Jan 2013 #53

I completely agree ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2013 #71

I agree with you, which is why I voted no also. Raksha Jan 2013 #95

I think that men can certainly do MUCH to assist the feminist movement... mike_c Jan 2013 #2

Thank you. One of the first responses I've seen on this that gets it. boston bean Jan 2013 #3

We don't have to get it liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #9

On internet discussion boards, there is always a contrary opinion. boston bean Jan 2013 #13

I'll go further now that you've gotten me thinking about this.... mike_c Jan 2013 #17

i really appreciate your post. balanced and though out without having to defend. seabeyond Jan 2013 #25

So out of 100 "leaders" 5 can't be men.. snooper2 Jan 2013 #84

Ditto. nt Honeycombe8 Jan 2013 #18

I agree HockeyMom Jan 2013 #28

Thanks, Mike. You're a mensch Warpy Jan 2013 #54

Ha! A friend told me KT2000 Jan 2013 #4

Does the feminist movement need "leaders"? Recursion Jan 2013 #5

uh, every movement has leaders. I guess feminism doesn't deserve them now. boston bean Jan 2013 #7

Does every movement have leaders? Recursion Jan 2013 #10

And other movements like civil rights movements might disagree with you. boston bean Jan 2013 #12

If you'll check, my answer was "no" Recursion Jan 2013 #14

This message was self-deleted by its author thucythucy Jan 2013 #75

Yes (nt) bigwillq Jan 2013 #6

Men should be standing right behind women on this issue! ananda Jan 2013 #8

Uh, no... one_voice Jan 2013 #48

Male allies should set clear unapologetic examples. Recursion Jan 2013 #15

leadership with their gender, yes. allies and supporters of women, yes. nt seabeyond Jan 2013 #16

If by example you mean supporting feminists and feminism boston bean Jan 2013 #22

I think I expressed myself badly. Recursion Jan 2013 #27

The bechdel requires two women to speak to one another about something other than a male. boston bean Jan 2013 #31

It works by me listening and two women talking Recursion Jan 2013 #39

My POV? Anyone who thinks that a person's ability to contribute to society's progress should be MADem Jan 2013 #19

Support, advocate? Certainly yes. Lead? No. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jan 2013 #20

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: Romulus Quirinus Jan 2013 #21

wow. You sure have a militant view of feminism. liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #23

No, it means we have differing views. Thanks for calling me militant. boston bean Jan 2013 #26

Should white people be leaders in racial civil rights movements? gollygee Jan 2013 #24

Effective people should lead. iiibbb Jan 2013 #29

It is mostly men who lead large corporations. They must be the only effective leaders out there.. boston bean Jan 2013 #30

"Right"? iiibbb Jan 2013 #55

That is just not the case. There are leaders who aren't good leaders. boston bean Jan 2013 #59

A lot of corporations are poorly run iiibbb Jan 2013 #60

Should white people be leaders in the minority civil rights movement? smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #32

could never really, truly understand their experience seabeyond Jan 2013 #34

So white people should excuse themselves from opinions on Black rights ?? THAT IS PURE IGNORANCE !!! Unrepentant Fenian Jan 2013 #36

Strawman alert! gollygee Jan 2013 #40

Really? When? Unrepentant Fenian Jan 2013 #72

Any post that begins with "so" is likely to be a strawman Warpy Jan 2013 #73

i listen to the african american community and support them fully. nt seabeyond Jan 2013 #42

Even THESE members of the community? FrodosPet Jan 2013 #129

he is a member of the black community fighting for their rights? wow, how to reach deep seabeyond Jan 2013 #130

no one said that obamanut2012 Jan 2013 #109

No. You don't get it. It's not that we should excuse ourselves from opinions or even offering smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #131

Thanks! To be honest, I was a little offended at first, but I got it eventually. smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #38

that is the bottom line. why men are offended i really do not get. it is obvious to me. seabeyond Jan 2013 #44

Thanks and Hi! smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #132

I am an advocate for the disabled. As a neurotypical person, I have relative privilege. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #33

Congrats, you have found an example where people with their faculties and physical health boston bean Jan 2013 #37

a) feminism IS advocacy. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #45

That is not what the feminist movement thinks nor what I think. boston bean Jan 2013 #49

"that thinks their historical oppressor should lead them." lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #50

You agree they should not be leaders. I'm assuming for some far out reason, that has no boston bean Jan 2013 #52

"No commonality" is an accurate assumption. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #68

The people leading the movement for change to force politicians boston bean Jan 2013 #76

The low-hanging fruit for equality has already been picked. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #78

So, in your mind there is no need for feminism to exist. boston bean Jan 2013 #79

No, I think there are purposes for both forms of advocacy. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #82

Nobody is saying "who gives a lshit what men think". We do care. smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #134

Personally, I agree. Men shouldn't lead the feminism movement. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #139

BB: I'm not sure this is a good example. thucythucy Jan 2013 #88

I agree. boston bean Jan 2013 #89

The Arc has not been an acronym for at least 20 years. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #94

I know. It used to be thucythucy Jan 2013 #96

"Nothing about us, without us" is one of the slogans thucythucy Jan 2013 #85

Thank you for this Thucy. boston bean Jan 2013 #87

Hi! We crossed posts! thucythucy Jan 2013 #91

The board of directors to whom I report is made up partly of people with developmental disabilities. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #90

This is indeed a complex issue thucythucy Jan 2013 #93

Why Can't You RobinA Jan 2013 #123

If I'm carrying the flag, I try do be damn sure that I'm marching in the direction people want me to lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #125

Why the hell not ??? Unrepentant Fenian Jan 2013 #35

It is sexist to think men shouldn't be in charge of the women's movement gollygee Jan 2013 #41

By preference - i'm not sure i understand - are you arguing that men should el_bryanto Jan 2013 #105

I'm being sarcastic gollygee Jan 2013 #106

ah ok - sorry for misunderstanding. n/t el_bryanto Jan 2013 #112

I was going to post a link to a PAC to encourage Sec. Clinton to run for President ... but... Unrepentant Fenian Jan 2013 #43

so, if you, a man, do not get your way, you throw a hissy and women under the bus. and you want seabeyond Jan 2013 #46

Look again before you throw YOUR hissy fit. I DID post the link... Unrepentant Fenian Jan 2013 #47

oh, like you were not throwing out that old bone. geeesh, and now, what? no? whatevah. nt seabeyond Jan 2013 #51

I'm sorry I had trouble understanding what you were trying to say, would you please re-phrase it ? Unrepentant Fenian Jan 2013 #70

"throw a hissy" and other great phrases from Seabeyond... Bonobo Jan 2013 #92

No. Nye Bevan Jan 2013 #56

Or pump gas and shovel the driveway LuvLoogie Jan 2013 #86

A man working for the issue should not be paid equally? Bonobo Jan 2013 #57

As a gay man, I would be disgusted with the gay rights movement if it banned hetrosexual leaders. Kurska Jan 2013 #58

As a straight woman who has worked for years with your groups MuseRider Jan 2013 #61

A civil rights movement should never tell someone they can't do something because of who they are. Kurska Jan 2013 #66

Then maybe it's not a civil rights movement. n/t lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #80

I'd kick my sons' asses if they weren't leaders in feminism. yardwork Jan 2013 #62

You said it with less words than I did LOL kdmorris Jan 2013 #119

Kind of defeats the purpose. The whole purpose of feminism is making women at LEAST MotherPetrie Jan 2013 #63

Well, there is always that little hump to get over, but many seem to be able boston bean Jan 2013 #74

Not No; but ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2013 #64

Thank YOU! For getting it. smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #133

Not to side-track the discussion; but ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2013 #141

Thank you so much for your smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #142

If the goal is equality then yes, or are some people more equal in certain cases? The Straight Story Jan 2013 #65

It is a women's movement gollygee Jan 2013 #107

My answer: Some of us were, long ago. Coyotl Jan 2013 #67

Pass tama Jan 2013 #69

I think this depends on how we define "leader" for the purpose of this poll. ZombieHorde Jan 2013 #77

Post removed Post removed Jan 2013 #81

crazyjoe. women cannot think rationally and make logical decisions and you trust us with BABIES seabeyond Jan 2013 #83

yes, with a big caveat... CreekDog Jan 2013 #97

How about could instead of should? As a dad to 2 young girls, I feel very vested in women's rights. Throd Jan 2013 #98

Sure, as long as it's a feminist organization with no women in it. Zorra Jan 2013 #99

"understanding of the reasons why feminism is even still necessary after well over a century of redqueen Jan 2013 #117

If I say I approve of your post, will you hold that against me? randome Jan 2013 #118

Most leaders rise to the position by consent of the people they are leading kdmorris Jan 2013 #100

Do I lead as a male yes should I lead the movement no Arcanetrance Jan 2013 #101

wow. really? your mom said and did that? shameful. i will say, having two older brothers seabeyond Jan 2013 #104

Yeah my mom learned that from her parents Arcanetrance Jan 2013 #108

truly amazing to me and i know even today it is very much out there, but, i did not grow up seabeyond Jan 2013 #111

My mother has gotten better in recent years standing up for herself more Arcanetrance Jan 2013 #114

omg, that is horrible, lol. so sad. but, seabeyond Jan 2013 #115

Seems like an oxymoron to me. nt bemildred Jan 2013 #102

No. But they are needed, wanted and appreciated as allies in our struggle. The fact remains.. Little Star Jan 2013 #103

No, the leaders should always be women obamanut2012 Jan 2013 #110

Yes, good point. Men do lead organizations such as NOMAS redqueen Jan 2013 #121

Right, I think PFLAG and NOMAS are the vanguard obamanut2012 Jan 2013 #124

IMNSHO any poll like this should be restricted to women only. nt redqueen Jan 2013 #113

Generally "No" to being leaders. Fervent supporters, yes. randome Jan 2013 #116

Men can be wonderful allies. Starry Messenger Jan 2013 #120

Most men who claim to be feminists are really performing 21st century chivalry. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #122

Gonna go with my gut on this one. MynameisBlarney Jan 2013 #126

No 4Q2u2 Jan 2013 #127

Thank you for your thoughtful post. smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #136

You are welcome 4Q2u2 Jan 2013 #143

Hmmm uriel1972 Jan 2013 #128

Yes... MellowDem Jan 2013 #135

Ummmmmmmmmmmm.... smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #138

Gees smirky... MellowDem Jan 2013 #144

your stance is... the womans movement should NOT be about women. black movement NOT seabeyond Jan 2013 #145

No, that's not my stance... MellowDem Jan 2013 #146

What are you talking about? smirkymonkey Jan 2013 #147

Your last sentence is accurate. lumberjack_jeff Jan 2013 #140

Well, someone needs to straighten them chicks out. Bucky Jan 2013 #137