The war on 'effeminacy'

[Barleymower]

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/man-up-m ... -1.6844883

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/man-up-m ... -1.6860767

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/man-up-m ... -1.6876116

Well worth a read. It's not the usual diet of Cavaliers to Brad Pitt in skirt wearing. In fact skirts are not mentioned at all!

What the three articles discuss is the way in which men have been manipulated over the last 150 years and how we have ended up in this painful little box.

Men in skirts have found a way out of the predicament by freeing themselves from the bonds of perceived masculinity and remaining men.

[Seb]

Thank you BM, it was a good read!

I like the photo of young Franklin Roosevelt too

[rivegauche]

The first article described how Perseus became a hero by decapitating a sleeping woman. Admittedly the woman was dangerous but how is it heroic to kill a sleeping woman? The articles describe how masculinity has progressed a lot since Kellogg but there is still some way to go. In many western cultures it is not seen as masculine to cooperate in school. We then end up with young men lacking verbal and intellectual (and social) skills to the extent that they cannot fully function in society and resort to anti-social or even violent behaviour. It probably makes a contribution to higher suicide rates among young males and to higher death rates among older males who feel emasculated by the thought of going to the doctor. Lad culture disadvantages men and it is probably simplistic to suggest this is self-inflicted but some of it would be. I was seen as a nerd in school and as a result had low status in the lad culture that prevailed even though it was a mixed school. Fast forward a few decades and with my education and commitment to my work, and my attention to social and linguistic skills, I am the one with the high status. That high status would be damaged if I turned up at a business or social function in a skirt or dress - no matter how good I looked in it - so that is still a big barrier we need to overcome. We still get men so insecure in their masculinity they think putting a woman down is alpha male behaviour that will enhance their status. There are people on this site who resent women and put them down - I have ceased replying to such posts as I am not convinced such people are open to persuasion or logical argument and replying merely gives them oxygen. Putting women down is misogyny and it is wrong just as putting men down for wearing skirts is wrong. We do not gain acceptance in society as men in skirts at the expense of women - we need their allegiance.

[Barleymower]

Rivegauche It's a complex situation and not one I feel able to unpick. Personally I don't blame women. There are a lot of reasons to blame women and I see that but still it is not their fault. They are as much victims in this whole mess as men are.
My rational is simple: we the people are often referred to as "The Herd". Herd mentality, herd immuniity etc. We (the herd) are blamed for everything. Men are blamed, women are blamed.

I dont see the corps, the city or royalty taking any responsibility for anything. No it's our fault but we did not manufacture cars, cigarettes, want wars, cause global warming.and holes in the ozone layer.