The new wave of feminism in the UK needs to pay attention to the increasing crisis in masculinity, argues Siobhan Bligh.
Siobhan Bligh is interested in social equality, and volunteers with LGBT rights groups in Sheffield. She is a feminist and civil-rights campaigner.
The new wave of feminism in the UK needs to pay attention to the increasing crisis in masculinity. It should not only pay attention to this crisis, but make efforts to combat problems men face with masculinity in society and culture. This is because feminism, and the egalitarian goals it seeks, will benefit from a healthier cultural attitude towards men and masculinity.
This is not to say that feminists focusing on the institutional and structural oppression of women should simply shift their gaze from female to male oppression. But, feminists should offer support for groups and organisations that aim to construct a psychologically and socially healthy masculinity for men to work within. A healthy masculinity is one which is not based upon the belittlement of femininity and women.
Whilst femininity is a construct that many women do not relate to, it bears an intimate relationship with attitudes towards women, and thus affects attitudes towards women. It is true to say that when femininity is respected by both men and women then feminism will be closer to its goal of gender equality.
Whilst “men’s rights” groups perpetuate misogyny and male power, feminists can help both genders, by shifting a small amount of focus to men. This crisis in masculinity manifests itself in several ways. Initially one can look at the cold hard statistics surrounding men’s lives in modern Britain. According to a 2012 report from the Office For National Statistics, men in Britain are more likely to be involved in substance abuse, be homeless, commit suicide, or have broken and shallow relationships.
Some men’s rights groups have linked this to an increase in women’s rights and the feminist movement, but this is an argument which is as poor as it is absurd. Men are not suffering because women are facing less oppression. Rather, men are suffering from a rigid, gendered world, in which an unachievable masculine identity is constantly reinforced to men from a young age. This ideal is one on which physical strength, emotional stoicism, wealth and power are idolised. Importantly for feminist, this masculine ideal also ridicules feminity, and thus contributes to women’s oppression. The MP Diane Abbott is right to say that in Britain there is a:
“culture of hyper-masculinity – a culture that exaggerates masculinity in the face of a perceived threat to it. At its worst, it’s a celebration of heartlessness; a lack of respect for women’s autonomy; and the normalisation of homophobia.”
To understand the importance of combating the crisis in masculinity, we must look at the role of cultural prescriptions of gender, and how it tailors men to act in our society. This affects the way that men act, the way they think about themselves, their identities, and it affects the way they relate to women. The more we look at societal expectations and demands of men, the more we realise that these ideals must be relaxed, and that cultural representations and expectations of men must change.
Men are constantly told from a young age to “man-up”. This means to remain strong, emotionless, cruel and often self-serving. As the American psychologist Judy Chu argues, young men will often be confused and alienated from both themselves and their loved ones, by an ideal that ridicules any form of feminity and emotions. What we must aim for is a healthy masculinity, in much the same way feminists would want women to have a healthy femininity. Whilst these ideals may be social constructions, they still guide people in the way they see themselves and others, and therefore it is imperative to promote a healthy gender culture for both men and women.
55 Responses to “Opinion: “Man-up” – The need for feminists to tackle the crisis in masculinity”
edtastic
That’s not helping boys in trouble get the attention they need. This isn’t about some manly need for an ego boost.
edtastic
Feminism has an approach which is hostile to men so men should not get behind it. They are better off going their own way rather than being governed by people who don’t like their kind. It’s like insisting blacks go to the KKK to solve their urban problems. People who have made careers out of male bashing should not be lecturing men on healthy masculinity. Men don’t get healthy through hate.
edtastic
“Such attitudes obviously and blatantly go hand in hand with the reinforcement of oppression of women in society. ”
No they don’t. Those attitudes encourage men to care for women to prove themselves which is why men are reluctant to play the role of victim like feminists so often do. Notice how you again made women the victim? You can’t lecture men on masculinity when you really don’t get equality.
Men actually need the same space to feel and be that women have developed through feminism but if men rise up to state their own agenda it’ attacked by feminists hostile to males independently defining themselves. The oppressor in this scenario is the women’s activist who defines the male gender role and seeks to punish men who break with it.
“Thus, feminism – which seeks to bring down gender barriers, norms, and oppression, naturally is and should be interested in combating this ‘hyper-masculinity’ for both the benefit of stopping its oppression of women and depression of us men.”
Feminism should be focused on staying out of men’s way and minding the business of women. The whole culture of blaming men and the society for all of women’s problems has outlived it’s usefulness in the western world. It’s become an excuse to hate males and what men really don’t need is more of that.
” ridiculing her for her opinions and arguments makes you a very pathetic and weak person”
You just proved my point. You call men weak as a means of emasculation which is crap men have had to put up with for far too long from the women’s activist. Male bashing is not a path to male liberation. The hate begets hate and it’s why male activist fighting for men end up targeting feminists who openly hate men.
edtastic
“The strange machoism that men feel they have to adhere to, particularly during school where it runs rampant, is an absolute curse to men and I would argue is the main reason that boys and girls from an early age split off into highly gendered groups, which in turn perpetuates the issue.”
That “strange masochism” is masculinity and it’s fine and natural. This is why you can’t have people who hate males telling males who they have to be. We’ve tried your way and it’s been in part a nightmare for males who are forced into a box they don’t want to be in. The gender split at an early age happens because the play preferences among the sexes vary significantly with few exceptions.
Sex differences are REAL! They go beyond the physical and science proves this. That said we can treat them both equally but with respect for the range of HUMAN difference regardless of gender. That means we don’t default everything to a feminine ideal. The masculine ideal should be included with the rest since that’s the disposition of around half who can be of either gender.
“Why is it considered a weakness to cry as a male?”
Why do call men as weak when they talk about being victimized by women? Feminists have advanced and benefited from stereotypes like this so it’s no time to play dumb like you don’t know where they come from. Emasculation of men has long been a weapon of the women’s movement and if men have yet to transition away from these gender role expectations you might want to look at the women advancing them to get women what they want.
“Why is it that so many men in this day and age don’t have gay friends?”
Bad gender stereotype.
“Why is it that whilst women can acceptably wear the clothes of both genders, men still have clearly defined limits to their clothing?”
Women will reject guys in skirts. Men won’t reject girl in pants.
” Why can a girl kiss a girl without being considered lesbian, yet if I kiss a guy I am considered gay?”
Same as the last. Women will reject guys who kiss guys, but guys will accept girls who kiss girls.
“If I said (and I don’t) that I had problems in the bedroom or a small penis to a group of men, what’s the first reaction I might expect?”
Men don’t profit from appearing vulnerable which is why feminists run circles around them when they play victim.
You can’t confront men’s gender issues by assuming women are above all wrongdoing. Assuming that means men ought to assume the same which would mean you expect men to embrace female chauvinism or male inferiority.
If you want a place to start focus on how women mistreat men. Men don’t need anymore male bashing from women for a long time.
Steve
this is the single most insane thing I have ever read. Man-up