Mixed Messages on Feminism and the Masculine Role
Instapundit pointed out a couple of articles in the Times and Guardian that are, if considered together, a step in the right direction. Kind of.
This first one in the Times, is just a rehash of the same old “why can’t men be more like women” line, and ultimately ends up blaming men, and reinforcing the antiquated notion that white men rule everything. The book they’re promoting is really more of a retro piece, about 20 years too late, unfortunately.
Marian Salzman, with her co- authors Ira Matathia and Ann O’Reilly, is the American trendspotter who coined the term “meterosexual” to describe a certain breed of straight, sensitive, modern men who see nothing wrong with exfoliating and going to see a weepy film. Now she has come up with another concept to which all males must apparently subscribe if they wish to reclaim “their space, their sense of worth and even themselves”.
Well wise up, because apparently it’s time to say enough is enough; the ridicule of men must stop. The pendulum of power has swung too far into the female corner and you must stand up and assert your right to masculinity. Stop apologising for it, be comfortable with it, but while you’re at it try to embrace a few female traits such as compromise, communication and learning to multitask.
Does modern man have a future?
Yes, indeed. He has the power to shape it just as women shaped theirs in the last century. Man’s greatest battle is not against women or other men or even changing times. It’s against the inertia that falsely tells him that he’s on top and will always be on top. It’s against the false sense of security that what always has been will always be. This isn’t a battle that women will instigate or fight on men’s behalf.
This last sentence shows how far removed from reality the authors really are. (Emphasis mine) Erin Pizzey, Cathy Young, Wendy McElroy, Christina Hoff Summers, and yes, even me ;>) have been fighting this battle for years. There are many others, in the thousands, fighting feminism and male-bashing publicly, on a daily basis.
Phyllis Schlalfly has been in this for decades.
Some of us do recognize that there’s nothing wrong with men the way they are.
The other piece, in the Guardian, is a bit more realistic.
The novelist Doris Lessing yesterday claimed that men were the new silent victims in the sex war, "continually demeaned and insulted" by women without a whimper of protest.
"We have many wonderful, clever, powerful women everywhere, but what is happening to men? Why did this have to be at the cost of men?
"I was in a class of nine- and 10-year-olds, girls and boys, and this young woman was telling these kids that the reason for wars was the innately violent nature of men.
"You could see the little girls, fat with complacency and conceit while the little boys sat there crumpled, apologising for their existence, thinking this was going to be the pattern of their lives."
Lessing said the teacher tried to "catch my eye, thinking I would approve of this rubbish".
She added: "This kind of thing is happening in schools all over the place and no one says a thing.
"It has become a kind of religion that you can't criticise because then you become a traitor to the great cause, which I am not.
"It is time we began to ask who are these women who continually rubbish men. The most stupid, ill-educated and nasty woman can rubbish the nicest, kindest and most intelligent man and no one protests.”
Well, Doris, the answer to your question – who these women are – is a little complicated. You’ve got a mix of pure opportunists, who’re just making a quick buck and a little notoriety, and some truly nasty girls who are the epitome of hate. Then there are those who are just following the crowd, going along because they think it’s fashionable, and finally those who would be led by practically anybody, but have happened to fall in with this lot.
The opportunists will go away the instant they realize there’s no longer any easy money in this. The domestic violence industry, the cosmetics companies, the Hollywood types will go away once the market changes. (A lot of this has been nothing more than effective marketing.)
The hatemongers will never go away, but they can be effectively muted, and relegated to the ranks of the incurably eccentric once the opportunists stop giving them the podium.
The followers will simply go find the next trend, the next bandwagon to catch.
Identifying the offenders is only a part of the problem. Convincing the opportunists to stop believing their own publicity is the hard part.
-- commentary by Trudy W. Schuett
Welcome Instapundit readers!