BREAKTHROUGH WEEK IN THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY FOR MEN AND BOYS

When we look back in some year’s time when it is fully recognised that equality applies to men too, I think all of us involved in the quest for equality for men will look at this week as being
pivotal.

There are a number for reasons for this – men were talked about, it opened the door, and men are walking through it by taking matters in their own hands.

Labour Party

Firstly, there has been the fact that a mainstream party (Labour) are starting to talk about a men’s narrative, even though it is Labour (the party of Harriett Harman, Vera Baird, Yvette Cooper, Margaret Moran, Angela/Maria Eagle, Caroline Flint and others who actively hate men) who have brought in anti-male legislation (encouragement to Cafcass to be biased against fathers) and practices (Minister for Women but no Minister for Men – 16 years and counting...).

The Conservatives dabble but then skulk away (Dominic Raab and David Willetts) and the Lib Dems and in particular Cable wants to stop meritocracy in the boardroom.

So this week, the fact that both Jon Cruddas MP (Labour: Barking and Dagenham) spoke at the IPPR think tank’s meeting in Manchester about Childhood and Family Issues. A key part of Labour’s policy work is to “Valuing a father's family role as highly as his working role; helping men play a larger part in looking after the home and the upbringing of their children”

“The Conservatives have dominated debate about the family with their stereotype of a  feckless underclass of absent fathers. They've concentrated on demonising a small minority and ignored the majority. Many fathers have two basic priorities; their family, and work to improve the lives of their children. And many feel that the Conservatives have failed them on both counts. No support
for fathers, and no jobs.”

Don’t anyone ever forget what Cameron said about Fathers on Father’s Day.

Then on Thursday, Dianne Abbott MP, a Labour MP who certainly has not been a friend
of men, talks about men and the cause of masculinity. Albeit her speech was terribly flawed and stereotypical (a male identity Fight Club masculinity crisis fuelled by Viagra and Jack
Daniels which was statistically demolished by Ally Fogg)

Some quotes were:

“I believe we need to say loudly and clearly, that there is a powerful role for fathers. The truth is that just as loving fathers are a benefit to children, so loving families are a benefit to men. And that the ‘left’ must reclaim the debate about families.

 “Our men have little movement politics to speak of. Many British men have no authentic
voice.”  

While it was welcome that she spoke about these issues it was through the wrong lens.
In that, it was based on that men are the problem and that the problems they face have not been down to (radical) feminism or the fact the government policy (so often an expression of anti-male feminism) has purposely ignored problems that affect men.

It is no good for Abbott and others to complain about falling educational attainment when this and previous governments have chosen to ignore it – the same on suicide, depression, unemployment, men’s health etc. She identifies the problem but is unwilling to look at what causes them or why there have been deliberate attempts (either overt or covert – discrimination by omission) not to do anything about them. All of the problems she highlighted that affected men, were framed as if they were caused by men – a feminist outlook rather than a neutral outlook. It was still based on the age-old premise that men are the problem.

But at least men are being talked about...

Media Coverage - Guardian, BBC 1, BBC 2

Opening the Door

As ever, it takes someone to open the door to allow an initial chink of light, and then there are people ready to step in.

Leading writers in the men’s equality movement, Glen Poole and Ally Fogg, took that opportunity.
Gen had two articles published (one in the Guardian and another in the News Statesman) and Ally was featured on the free thought website, both talking about the issues raised this week and also Glen talking about the barriers (including the problem there is for feminism) men face. 

In addition to the open challenges made by Glen and Ally, a range of other commentators jumped in to support Glen and Ally’s premise or to argue against Abbot’s stereotypes.

Other commentators include Max Wind-Cowie, Ian Jack, Tony Parsons, Jake Wallis Simons (Abbot gave a “has given a horrendously matronising and ham-fisted speech entitled "Britain's crisis
of masculinity.”), Amol Rajan, The Huffington Post, Heartfield, Belinda Brown, After Nyne and Tony
Parsons again.  

Of course no one was naive enough to think it would be all one way, and the more people start to talk about male inequality, the more likely anti-male feminists (male and female) will fight back – they have careers in male-bashing to hang onto, remmeber. Laurie Penney (who said Glen Poole’s article was based on the tackling the evils of feminism – probably the most laughable and desperate comment ever published in the Guardian), Suzanne Moore and Matt Hill who believes feminism is the answer.

Walking through it

Glen Poole sent an email around this week outlining a number of events where the growing men and boys sector are “doing it for themselves”.

There is no point complaining about the need for equality for men or ending discrimination against them or that people ignore the problems men and boys face nelss people are doing something positive and practical about it. The email is set out at the end.

In addition, Mike Buchanan held his first meeting for his Justice for Men and Boys (and the women who love them) political party in Bedford.

Again, rather than being passive, it is about being active and controlling the agenda and changing society’s views and providing solutions.

Labour have raised the issued, starting the debate – others have taken it forward and given it a wider airing – but more importantly others are providing solutions. A pivotal week - a week to remember

Posted by Skimmington

 

Notice for people helping men and boys....

This is a short email update to make sure you know about three events for people like you who are committed to improving the lives of men and boys in the UK:

This year’s Third National Conference for Men and Boys is taking place in September over five days covering issues like health, mental health, fatherhood, education, male mentoring, criminal justice, social care, religion, personal development, building the men and boys sector  and much, much
more…..

To find out about the UK’s Third National Conference for Men and Boys in September and book
your early bird tickets click here now

This year’s Men’s Health Week takes place during June and Helping Men will be marking the week by hosting its Helping Men Get Help workshop in Brighton on Wednesday 12th June. This one-day course is designed for people like you who may want to develop their ability to help more men and boys to
access or engage with the services and projects you run

To find out how you can come and take part in the Helping Men Get Help workshop in June and buy a half-price ticket today click here now

Finally a reminder that International Men’s Day takes place on Tuesday 19^th November and is a great platform who you to promote the work you do with men and boys, or to help you connect more men
and boys to your work

The theme of this year’s International Men’s Day is Keeping Men and Boys Safe and you can use the
day to promote any theme you want as long as it’s helping to improve the lives of men and boys in the UK.To find out more about International Men’s Day in November click here now

Comments

[Gerry Dorrian]

Abbott is an opportunist, and I think she's riding the wave of increased interest in men's issues that is another by-product of interest in UKIP. Just wish some of their counsellors would stop making gaffes about women's rights, eg women wearing trousers being "hostile". Men's and women's rights are two sides of the same coin.

[barryb]

International Mens day is a waste of time when it is run by chivalry as their website clearly shows.

Do they have vested interest in your little group too?

[DisgruntledVoter]

Yes something is definitely happening with the potential pressure from J4MB and UKIP. Important thing now will be to keep up the pressure and grow the support. Resting on laurels would be fatal for both parties.

[Just Curious]

Have to admit I would love to know what the psychology is behind Diane saying all those negative things. On her Twitter page, there's a big picture of her listening attentively and sympathetically to a quite a large young woman and it's almost like she's sending a deliberate signal as if to say 'this is my real constituency right here, everyone else doesn't count.' (Other than women, that is!)

She did a This Week show with Andrew Neil once in which she said that women and ethnic minorities were special groups of voters because they 'were to be respected'. Which strongly implied by the way that it was said, that certain other groups DID NOT deserve respect in the same way.
Today's professional politicians, what idiots they are!

[Groan]

Indeed Abbot is anything for a headline. However Cruddas is a bit more central to Labour's policy development. It isn't new that Labour want to encourage men into sharing childcare. Afterall the Fatherhood institute was set up on a feminist agenda of freeing up women for work. However just as that organisation has moved a little I wonder if Labour is courting working class men now, having ignored them for so long. The aspirations of family formation have been eroded by economic globalisation and falling real wages for working men, unemployment, poor education and "demonisation". The Tories generally continue on the chivalric route, possibly labour are Re - discovering ordinary men ? Somehow I expect no more than window dressing from them. Even so Cruddas has sparked something. Fanned into a small roman candle by Ms. Abbot. As mentioned here the media focussed on the abbot firework .

[Fred G., Beds]

There's a hilarious irony about the trouble Cameron has got himself in with his party. Namely that he adopted the "modernisation agenda" taking all the values and beliefs from the Blair years, in order to be fashionable. But fashions BY DEFINTION always go out of fashion. And this is exactly what has happened, the modernisation agenda has gone out of fashion with large parts of the country. For PR man, Cameron was a bit of a dunce not to realise this.

[Ian]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2328293/If-son-dog-Id-Mother-son-suffers-ADHD-says-unlike-pet-owners-choice-violence.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

What a charming example of so many women today. When the fake ADHD excuses of an older woman having kids and bad parenting run out, she wants him killed....

[Dave]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01skwmx/Daily_Politics_16_05_2013/

50 min 30 secs onward...

What I hate about interviews like these:

- Pointless time wasted on an old black & white film when two dozen men's issues could be briefly talked about.

- The usual interviewer tactic of introducing men's issues in a light-hearted manner, as if they're too embarrassed to be seen to be taking it seriously!

- The way Dianne refers to Andrew as an Alpha male; what was all that about!

- the usual reference to the patriarchy without an ounce of defence from the men.

- Dianne states that the definition of a man from yesteryear was all about earning, providing and protecting. Again, no suggested extension to that definition from anyone else!

- She also states that today's men are defining themselves on materialism. Sounds like she doesn't want men to have anything!

- The usual reference to housework without a single counter argument including other chores that men do that women don't.

- reference to boys viewing porn but absolutely no reference to girls watching porn.

- Dianne states that we don't need a minister for men because only women have quantitative, economic issues, apparently.

- Dianne says that we don't need a men's conference despite the fact that we have a women's conference. Just listen to her excuse of an answer - pathetic.

[Ian]

It is a staged and seup media event Dave, what more can you expect?

Bit like this piece of misleading misandry in the Daily fail today:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2328784/Why-fathers-killing-children-Top-criminologist-reveals-research-sickening-trend.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Forget the fact more Mothers kill their children and over 60% of all child abuse is by women. Funny how they never done such a vicious article on that?

[Ian]

Regarding the above, please note how when a man does it he is ALWAYS a sickening , violent male scumbag responsible, when a woman kills her children she is ALWAYS a victim and never a scumbag.

[ian]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/10073918/33-men-die-in-South-African-circumcision-ceremonies.html

Hilary clinton wants this barbarity done to millions of men and boys in Africa.

[Barryb]

There was another "breakthrough" this week, one of the little MRM groups of the "cadre" had a meltdown, playing king of the castle. MRA London, this group Mike Buchanan and AVFM, this site and the other little profiteers had in their train.

You know why these groups always have melt downs and why the MRM will never get where it could

Because too many of those in it, have big ego's and are in it for THEMSELVES and what they are trying to make from it.

Just like I have been saying ;-)

[Muggins]

Hate to be a wet blanket but Diane Abbott is a politician (so might change her mind at any moment to win votes), and also rather stupid, frankly.

She may have also swallowed a load of feminist nastiness about men. Some feminists will only accept that inequalities towards men exist as long as they can blame it on this imaginary "patriarchy". They can then pretend that we are on the same side and that men should join them in their crusade.

Similarly, Abbot will be happy to talk about Men "in crisis" because it makes men sound somewhat useless - the sort of thing feminists can agree on.

It sounds very negative of me, but unfortunately that is the way I fear the narrative will go with Abbott.

A lot more work needs to be done to explain to people how the concept of "equality" has been misused.

[Groan]

Hi Muggins. I completely agree that Ms Abbot has no consistent or real concern. It is however striking that she kicked off a debate even though her speech is confused and contradictory. One interesting strand of concern in her sort of circles is of course the lamentable educational attainment of black boys and high uneployment. Even though as you say her narrative is that it is "patriarchy" at fault it does weaken this very idea as it is clear that if patriarchy is at fault it clearly doesn't benefit all men and therefor all men cannot be "opressors". I think it also exposes another contradiction in that many feminists appear to be concerned that men aren't fufilling their traditional role of "human doing". In effect a tacit admission that it is also women who benefit from men's work in all its forms. It reminds be of Warren Farrel's observation decades ago that many in the feminist movement had the time and space to thorise and campaign because they didn't have to spend time actually earning a living because they had husbands or partners who did that!