This is not nearly as stupid a question as you probably think it is. Listen to Jackson Katz's talk about how violence against women is a men's issue and you might start to wonder too.
Here. I've even included it for you. Nope, no excuses now. Watch it.
People treat feminism as if, in order for the feminists to "win," men have to be destroyed or disempowered. I'm working on my thesis now, and not one of my sources (except the main text I'm interpreting) are written by men...because men don't talk about feminism.
This is something I have never understood. Surely, men have mothers, sisters, friends, lovers, daughters, teachers, spouses, mentors, coworkers who are women. Surely, if the great tragedies of violence against women were directed at these women, they would care. But men won't often speak about how these individual tragedies relate to a culture that facilitates them.
Even if, by some bizarre situation, a man doesn't have any women in his life whom he cares about, he should still be talking about feminism...because sexism and classic gender norms hurt men too. Worldwide, suicide is more prevalent among men, despite a higher rate of mental illness in women, because we tell men they can't seek constructive emotional outlets for their feelings. We treat men like animals and monsters by saying that "boys will be boys" when they hurt each other or others, when some men rape or harrass...we boil "being boys" with being unable to control themselves, like dogs instead of people. We create a culture that defines rigid stereotypes and spaces for men, and while these may be positions of greater power, they are no less de-humanizing or de-individualizing.
Feminism: it's a men's issue too. And people need to start talking about it.
Yours,
Rachel Leigh
