It’s kind of refreshing to hear about the issues that guys face for a change. Don’t get me wrong, there are still so much women have to go through that men put them through. However, since there are so many inequalities between the sexes, it’s hard to focus on the one that’s supposed to be considered dominate. As said in the essay by Michael Kimmel, “America has been focused on girls that we’ve forgotten about boys.” Have we really forgotten about the men in this world by focusing all our attention on the oppressed women instead? Well my first reaction is to say no but, like many times before, I could be missing something that everyone else knows.
As a female with no siblings, it’s hard to relate deeply to the male mind. I do agree with the view Kimmel has about males in our society. Boys do like to hide their emotions and feel that they can’t express themselves; therefore I think that adds to why they become more angry and violent. When society learns to accept the fact that men are allowed to be vulnerable, then we will be able to tackle the issues they have head-on.
If we ever get to that point, it seems like it will only be have the step if we forget to include all races, classes and sexual orientations. The way men interact with each other is different between races just like the way women interact with each other. I guess it seems as if men are going through their own feminist movement. Hopefully there can be some sort of solution to the feminist movement that won’t make men feel so alienated. After all, men have feelings too.
I agree with you when you say that it was nice to hear about how sexism affects men. I feel that being a feminist is not just about challenging what women are supposed to be but also challenging what men are supposed to be. However, I do not agree that feminism has focused so much on women that we have forgotten about the men. This idea is backlash from conservatives who are against feminism. But I do like your views on men's vulnerability.
ReplyDeleteGood Post, I like how you said at the end "Men have feelings too." It is so true but so many guys do not share their feelings because how they might be viewed by others. The question you posed in your first paragraph brings up a good point. The men are always viewed as the oppressors, but in a way it might not be their fault to how the act if they know no different. Boys can be taught and molded, as we have seen in their violent tendencies, so we should use that to mold them to be more understanding of racism, sexism, and the privilege they are automatically given.
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