Every year when International Women's Day comes around in theory it should be a day of celebration of the achievement of women and the qualities they bring to us all. Similar to Mother's day (and Father's Day of course) men and women from across the UK should be encouraged to raise a toast to women. Instead, you are left with the acrid stench of anti-male hatred and discrimination.
The reality is that the day is increasingly hijacked (I am not sure whether it was ever thus) by Marxist feminists and others who hate men. It is not a celebration of women it is used to bash men, to say that all the barriers that women face are down to sexist men and if women ruled the world, the planet would be perfect. It is used to campaign for more rights for women over men - it is not about equality.
Organisations like the Government, Women's Aid, Fawcett Society and the Guardian (of course) plan their PR around campaigns and adverts all with an underlying anti-male bias. It is not always in your face but you are left in doubt what the underlying message is: Women = good, men = bad.
For men, Tuesday was a day to keep your head bowed as you read every newspaper and watched the TV or listened to the radio knowing that your female colleagues at work, mothers at the school gates and female friends will be seeing, watching and hearing the same. It really is uncomfortable.
You wonder what goes through their minds when you interact with them. Is it the normal "Hi, how's things" or do they really want to say "Hi, you fascist misogynist who's stopping me advancing in my career, ia a sex pest and thinks I should be at home with the kids and the kitchen." That's what the anti-male feminists want them to think.
As it was the centenary this year, there was more of this than usual and of course, with International Men's Day due for 19th November this year, it will be interesting to see what level of attention that receives from the same organisations. Silence, I expect but that is equality for you.
Posted by Skimmington
Some of the low lights of this year's campaign include:
Guardian - Women only day, Manifesto for 21st century feminism, Why feminism must not lose its bite, How rapidly things change
Government and the Labour Party: the shockingly anti-male Yvette Cooper
The Equalities Commission who do nothing to support equality for men
Oxfam ad - very anti-male (why would a man donate to them after reading this)
James Bond ad (and Daily Mail)- even says women get paid less for doing same job as men. That is not true, completely unproven. This is run by a new umbrella organisation called EQUALS.
Telegraph - Women are only equals for one day per year
And a great post on Quiet Riot Girl
Always knew Oxfam were a very dodgy organisation when it comes to gender equality but to imply that men are so selfish they don't teach others to fish and feed themselves is incredibly offensive. Thanks for pointing out what they're up to.
Note that Oxfam are part of Annie Lennox's "EQUALS" coalition, they are "charities brought together by Annie Lennox to celebrate the International Women’s Day centenary".
There's some very biggoted and dodgy orgasnaitions who are the founding partners, such as Women's Aid and the Fawcett Society. Therefore all others should be scrutinised too for associating with such a sexist campaign.
Certainly Amnesty International are becoming increasingly known for misandry so it's hardly surprising that they're listed.
Similarly some very extreme supporting partners also such as Object and then there's Mumsnet (one of Harman's favourite sites) and finally the NUS who haven't' failed to escape the attention of this blog in the past.
Posted by: John Kimble | Sunday, 13 March 2011 at 22:59
You do right to highlight the misandry . Amnesty has drifted well away from it's founding principles and I have been appalled at Oxfam for some years. Inspired by Marxism the leaders of this campaign are the daughters of privilege seeking more for themselves. There are millions of poorly paid men and women in our economy yet the feminists fight for a hundred or so seats on the board while linking their selfish wish for fast promotion to the plight of those living through the chaos of the third world. It is shameful. As. Annie Lennox sang "sisters are doing it for themselves".
Posted by: Groan | Monday, 14 March 2011 at 08:37
Hi
Thanks for linking to my post. I was quite perturbed by the Equals video and the way statistics on gender inequality in the third world/developing countries were highlighted.
'women do 66% of the work in the world... and own 1% of the property etc...'
I also find the UN and its recent gender campaigns to be quite misandrist but need to look at them more closely.
Posted by: Quiet Riot Girl | Monday, 14 March 2011 at 14:22
Many of the legal restrictions on women I protested in the 70s had their origin in campaigns by the wives of wealthy philanthropists. So laws about debt protected women from debtors prison by making husbands responsible. Laws against working in mining and heavy industry prevented women from working in communities with few other options. In effect trying to protect delicate females meant the mid and late Victorians made restrict laws and placed women on a pedestal they fought to get off. The irony that many modern feminists are busy climbing on pedestals based on much the same claims to virtue and need for protection from real life those worthy Victorian ladies wanted. With same disdain for men and women outside their enlightened circle. The fishing example is shameful as women and men in the 3rd world struggle to support their families every day , one of the biggest problems is the sheer number of men migrating to work and send funds to support their families. The arrogance is just breathtaking.
Posted by: Groan | Monday, 14 March 2011 at 17:34
Certainly Amnesty International are becoming increasingly known for misandry so it's hardly surprising that they're listed. 'women do 66% of the work in the world... and own 1% of the property etc...'The irony that many modern feminists are busy climbing on pedestals based on much the same claims to virtue and need for protection from real life those worthy Victorian ladies wanted
Posted by: writing online | Thursday, 31 March 2011 at 14:10