The Rights Of Man

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS NO GOOD WITHOUT ACTION ON FAILING BOYS EDUCATION

A recent post highlighted how the gender pay gap showing young women get paid more than young men and this is one of the clear signs of the educational establishment's failure to give boys a decent education. At least two generations of boys have seen their education damage by establishment failure and neglect.

This has been caused by the move from exam-based O-levels to course-based GCSE's, few male teachers, the feminisation of the curriculum turning pupils into robots with little room for initiative or challenge (letting boys be boys) and a whole host of other issues covered in these recent posts in particular (1, 2).

The symptoms been clear for some while now. We have the gender pay gap as mentioned, we have more females entering the professions as highlighted by the Daily Telegraph, 40% of women participate in higher education (university) against 32% of men and there are gaps at A-level (though Daily Telegraph said it narrowed this year), GCSE level (BBC) and also concern about how boys are falling behind at a SATS level (BBC 1, BBC 2 , BBC 3, Daily Mail).

The issue is that while there is recognition that boys are behind, it is almost treated as a footnote rather than something that is a core or central problem. There are one off type initiatives but nothing central or fundamental.

Why has the government not commissioned full scale research  or a Commission looking at why boys are now way behind girls educationally. Michael Gove (Education Secretary) acknowledges the problem of boys being behind academically but does absolutely nothing about it.

Why is the Education Selection Committee in Parliament silent on the issue?

There is lots of hot air but precious little action from the government, just like the last, about seriously tackling this issue. Another reason for a Minister for Men.

And of course, if it was girls who were underperforming we would never hear the end of it.

Posted by Skimmington 

DECEMBER'S MEN'S MATTERS

The latest edition of Men's Matters by James Williams is now on Express FM.

EDUCATION FAILURE FOR BOYS FEEDS THROUGH TO GENDER PAY GAP - AS WE ALWAYS KNEW IT WOULD

As often commented here (1, 2 , 3) the gender pay gap has literally been a stick to beat men for decades and is whipped out whenever anyone challenges the anti-male feminists about their hatred of men.

Whenever they raise the 'gap issue' it is always on the basis of discrimination against women even though there is no proof and there has never been that systematically a women with the same talent, skill, years of experience, adding the same value and undertaking the same job at the same company has ever been discriminated.

Never any mention of women taking career breaks to bring up children because they and their husband/partner have made an adult and mature decision to do so, or the fact that many women choose the job security/regular hours of the public sector over the private sector. The latter being able to pay higher wages. 

The issue of career breaks is anathema to modern-day anti-male feminists who see women who want to stay at home and bring up their children as old-fashioned and victims of old skool (sic) patriarchy. There is no better explanation of why the misuse of the gender pay gap is wrong then this pamphlet.

All the arguments anti-male feminists trot out is that "Men get paid x% more than women". Their misuse of statistics would shame a five year old.

The latest ONS gender pay gap figures showed that for full-time employees it fell from 12.2% to 10.2%. For part-time employees (dominated by women) it is now -4% (i.e. part-time women get paid more than part-time men) and overall, the gap is 19.8% down from 22%. The median full-time figure is the one ONS rightly uses.

When the figures came out there were general comments (BBC, Telegraph, Telegraph 2, The Guardian). Some business leaders questioned why with the gap narrowing the government needed to bring in equality laws.

Still just because the gap is closing does not mean the anti-male feminists will stop. The government's 'equalities' department said it was still committed to "taking measures to end discrimination in the workplace" - bring on the gender pay audits and positive discrimination! How is this liberal and how is this conservative?

The crucial statistic which highlights decades of educational failure is the one regarding the wages of young men and women.

The figures showed (page 8) that women aged 22-29 earned more than men of the same age. Full-time it was 2.1% and at 1.9% for part-time. This was highlighted in articles in the Daily Mail  and The Independent, whilst our old friend Barbara Ellen ranted away.

What this shows is that the gender education gap (1 and 2) is now filtering through to employment as this site and others have always said it would. The move from exam-based O-levels to course based GCSE's, the feminisation of the education system (no male teachers and dumbed down curriculum) and the continual demonisation of boys is as expected leading to lower employment choices and chances for men when they enter the workplace. The Daily Telegraph research of two years ago highlighted this clearly.

But there is just silence from the government on this, Michael Gove (the education secrertary) says nothing to address it whilst Theresa May and equalities minister and hieress, Lynne Featherstone, says we want even more rules to help women.

The new figures show clearly the effect of poor educational attainment of boys yet there is just silence on it and even though there is now clear and unequivocal proof of its effects. 

As well as this of course is the fact that if suddenly a figure moved from being pro-female (like a +ve gender pay gap figure) to being negative (like a -ve gender pay gap figure) then there would be acres of comment from politicians but there is just silence.

Dr Catherine Hakim (1 and 2) is a voice that stands out in this field and her forthcoming report "Feminist Myths and Magic Medicine" will be a joy to read.

Posted by Skimmington

Additional info: here is another article about Dr Catherine Hakim

NO MALE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE EXIST IN WEST YORKSHIRE - ACCORDING TO LOCAL POLICE

A few posts ago, it was highlighted how the Coalition Government did not believe that any men suffer from domestic abuse over Christmas and whether there were any other sexist campaigns being organised (at taxpayers expense) by any other statutory body.

Normally, the campaigns will only highlight female victims but not male victimss. Sexual discrimination by omission especially when according to the government one in three victims of domestic abuse are men.

Well up popped this corker from West Yorkshire police. You get a poster all over the region and in GP surgeries etc asking for female victims to come forward plus posters for male perpertrators to come forward and stop and even a video for you to enjoy.

Even the list of organisations at the bottom of the web page do not even mention the Men's Advice Line or the ManKind Initiative (often at least one will be included so an organisation can say "we do care about men as well").

If you are a man (and your children) and are suffering from domestic abuse at Christmas in West Yorkshire - they police do not recognise you exist.

Such a blatant example of institutional sexism by West Yorkshire Police who fail to understand that equality means equality for all victims of domestic abuse.

Posted by Skimmington 

MEN'S HEALTH FORUM HIGHLIGHTS SEXIST BOOTS ADVERT

The Men's Health Forum (MHF) is really doing some good stuff and campaigning hard to ensure men's health needs are not forgotten. We will be looking at one of the issues they raised on health priorities in a little detail later on and also they put a marker down on missed appointments. The Chairman, Peter Baker, saying it could be down to waiting times or an inability to get time off work with the implication that there should be no blame game in saying men are lazy etc, the usual knee jerk reaction.

This week, they raised the issue about an advert making light of the women's magazine invention "man Flu" which is now de rigeur amongst feminist , chick-lit writers, columnists and anyone that wants to mock men - so tediously  'Sex in the City". You can tell MHF what you think on their website.

It reminds me of the infamous MFI ad. The key thing is, would Boots and whoever the advertising agency they paid to produce it, run such an advert with a man mocking a women with a cold/flu or suffering from her time of the month. No, but its men, so its OK then.

Posted by Skimmington

GOVERNMENT SAYS MALE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE DON'T COUNT AT CHRISTMAS

A few weeks ago, this site highlighted the issue about the government's "stop order"trials and how they had been couched in terms of just female victims even they also apply to male victims. This had to be literally dragged out of Lynne Featherstone, the Minister for "Equalities" by Nicky Campbell on Radio 5.

After receiving a tip off from a keen eyed reader, it is now completely clear that the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition government is no more interested in male victims of domestic abuse than the previous Labour government.

The government's campaign against domestic abuse at Christmas looks laudable on paper but then you read the press release and watch the video (at the bottom of the release) and there is not one mention of male victims, just female victims.

So men (and their children) suffering at Christmas are not even worthy of a mention. They don't exist according to the government, swept under the carpet

If there are other Christmas campaigns like this or like this one in Lancashire where men don't get a mention but only women do, please list any more in the comments section.

Posted by Skimmington

WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF CHRISTINE JAMES WAS A CHRISTOPHER?

Last week, a Lib Dem Councillor Christine James, who sits on Weymouth and Portland Borough was convicted for assaulting her husband, also a councillor, albeit a Conservative one.

She has said to the Dorset Echo she would not be resigning even though the report also in the paper says she was screaming like a Banshee as she rained bows down on her husband.

As set out clearly by Andy Blackwood from Weymouth, how can this councillor possibly remain elected.

What one of the many issues is that what would have been the reaction of her party (Lib Dems) if Christine was a Christopher. What would the council have said and what would the local refuges/women's groups etc have said.

They would have demanded his on a plate, but because it is a her, then there is a defining silence. That is the hypocrisy that men live under in the UK.

Move along...nothing happening here in Weymouth and Portland...

Posted by Skimmington

Other media coverage - Daily Mail

FAWCETT SOCIETY LOSE LAUGHABLE BUDGET CLAIM BUT DANGEROUS PRECEDENTS ARE SET

When of the clear cases of hypocrisy in the so-called Feminist movement in the last few years as been their lies about the unemployment during this recession.

First we had Harman and Co saying the recession had affecting women in the private sector more than men. This was nailed as an untruth by the Government's own Office of national Statistics (here and here).

Then when the effects of the recession and government over-spending became clear and the need for retrenchment ion the public sector had top be made, there were the squeals of horror that this effected women more than men, and therefore had to be stopped.

We have argued long and hard on the site about the hypocrisy of this and also that any cuts in a woman's job or in benefits effects men as well (here and here).

The Fawcett Society, Britain's leading McCarthyite 'every man is a potential woman-hater'  anti-male organisation, challenged the UK government in the courts about the government's Budget in July this year and the fact they had not carried out an assessment on its effects on women and also that it affected women more than men. They wanted a Judicial Review of the Budget but Judge Ouseley refused on Monday. There response is here.

However, it is not all good news.

Firstly, the government admitted it had not considered a gender assessment of the Budget. It did so for the Comprehensive Spending Review in October which now means this type of assessment is now entrenched as the 'normal' way of policy-making. The government should of course repeal the rule forcing it to make such assessments as this was introduced by Harman and Co in the last government.

Secondly, the Judge says the Equalities Commission should carry out such a review, which then extends their power and influence. The government has to scrap this body but will be scared to do so because of the strength of the oxymoron - the so called 'equalities' lobby.

Thirdly, it gives more credibility to the Fawcett Society when they deserve absolutely none. Few if any real normal women support this orgainsation  - only political activists do.  

Lastly, it sets a precedent for this sort of activity through the courts, so all government's will be wary of upsetting the women's lobby. No one cares about the male equality so when it comes to making policy decisions they will become even more anti-male because they would be afraid of upsetting women's groups so they overcompensate. This will be unconscious and back of the mind decision-making leading to discrimination which will damage men and boys.

The Fawcett Society have made progress which is bad news for men and boys, and for all those women who like sharing their lives with men and boys.

Posted by Skimmington

Media cioverage  - Catherine McKinnell in the Guardian (one of the most laughable articles ever published and please read the comments section as well) and Press Association.

 

 

WHAT WOULD CRISPIN BLUNT SAY IF THIS WAS HIS SON?

Last month we reported another Coalition Government U-turn on ensuring rape defendants were to be treated equally before the law to plaintiffs and remain anonymous unless proven guilty.

Arch-coward Crispin Blunt MP, the minister in charge of the policy, alongside his Conservative and Lib Dem colleagues bottled the decision because of the campaign by anti-male feminists.

The outcome of this awful decision was seen this week in the Daily Mail. Here the man who was innocent is photographed but the woman who went to prison accusing of him of rape remains anonymous.

His name gets dragged through the mud and is now permanently in the media, even though he was innocent .

If this was your son Crispin Blunt, what would you say?   

Posted by Skimmington

SPAT IN BRISTOL ON WHETHER ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS WRONG

An interesting story broke out last week when Lib Dem Councillor Barbara Janke walked out of an event about ending violence against women. This was part of the UN event (see recent post) which many organisations such as councils and police force forces combine with White Ribbon Day (men to stand up against violence against women) and also domestic abuse awareness week.

We could argue to the cows come home about the UN event and the White Ribbon Day but it is often ends up being sexist when domestic abuse awareness week is wrapped up with it (on purpose of course) because it means domestic violence against men gets lost.

Anyway, the article in Bristol (inldunclduing the reasons by the feminists) and also the response on a feminist website is worth reading. What is amazing is the reaction to anything that feminists disagree with, that is the most telling. They cannot take an alternative view.

Posted by Skimmington