It can't be denied that this is true, that there are many commercials, many advertisements in which women are depicted as sexual objects - this is far more rare for men. It can't be denied that, generally speaking, men are more prone to violence, or even sexual violence. Yet, there is one more thing can't be denied... especially by young people who are sadly too aware of modern culture...
The men who are viewed as the most attractive, most manly, most desirable within our society, are those who are of large physical stature, violent, and/or dangerous. Consider gangsters, rappers, athletes, or the often intimidating, elitist appearance and manner of someone like, say, Mitt Romney.
It is a shallow culture, yet the blame for this cannot be laid entirely on men. It is all too common that the most lovely, intelligent women of our society will seek out those who are seen as the most desirable men. Generally, they are not terribly intelligent, kind, generous, or empathetic. Generally, they are tall, they are large and muscular, they have the "six pack abs" that have become such a fad (even though they are not always a sign of good health, or even strength...)
Men who have qualities of, say, empathy, kindness, patience, generosity, or, perhaps, humility... are often seen as weak by our society. Or as girly. They frequently fend off insinuations that they aren't "man" enough. In fact, they are bullied as frequently by women as they are by men, though a woman's method of bullying is rather more subtle, to be sure.
In my opinion, feminism is not as powerful or as popular as it once was because it tends to largely exclude, or to demonize men. This isn't specifically a male problem or a female problem... it is a human problem, involving media, personal perception... and critical thinking ability. The media has such powerful influence over all of us (unless we reject society, and some do) that you cannot have one without the other.
That is, to improve these situations, it needs to be about more than who deserves the most blame for the state of things. I freely admit that it is men, but there are ways in which many women are complicit within this tangled web of pop culture, media and overall ignorance.
Perhaps we could start by admitting that, in order to truly promote change and progress, it needs to be recognized that neither gender is the only villain in this case. That it is not either men, or women, who are the true culprit here... rather, it is humanity.
Just my opinion. Take it as you will.
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