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Why are feminists so threatened by the MRA movement?

635 replies

LaVoixDeLaRaison · 09/09/2014 18:47

When I was at university, the Gender Equality society (of which I was a member) chose to rename itself the Feminist society, arguing that the only way equality could be achieved was by focusing on women's issues. This led some other students to set up an MRA group, which was met with some resistance from the feminists. On this very board I see commenters angrily referring to MRAs as if they are all members of an evil homogeneous group.

Isn't it possible that men and women both suffer oppression from society in different ways? That the levels of this oppression are not necessarily equal, but are still important if we are to achieve equality? I often see feminists agreeing with certain 'male issues' (e.g. media stereotypes, elevated male suicide rate), but suggesting that feminism has other priorities, and if they want to do something about these issues then they should make their own groups. Why do they get criticized when they do exactly that? Better still, wouldn't feminism be better off if it didn't alienate so many men (and women, focused on a wider range of issues, and stopped pitting the sexes against one another?

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Branleuse · 09/09/2014 19:14

im really unsure how gender equality will be acheived by giving men more rights in a patriarchal society.

Your gender equality society realised that the way to equality was to try and campaign to level the playing field and improve the rights of women.
MRA are all about saying no no, we liked it as it was.

Id say that men are ALSO hurt by the patriarchy. Patriarchy doesnt mean men are bad. Its just an unequal unjust system, and most feminists are aware of that, although we dont go on about it because men can fight their own battles too, and most men with any intelligence and empathy would be surely aware of the disproportionate disadvantages women face in comparison, and thats why so many men identify as feminists too

Have you also asked any societies focussing on racial equality why they dont like the KKK much???

gincamparidryvermouth · 09/09/2014 19:12

they weren't happy about the ridicule of men in some forms of the media

This is FUCKING HILARIOUS!!

Oh my God! Are you serious??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That is GOLD

Fuck them! Expecting women to take time out from the tidal wave of garbage flung at us unceasingly every single fucking day to listen intently to some self-important arsehole get his grump on about a fucking
sitcom!

Too good!

LaVoixDeLaRaison · 09/09/2014 19:08

gincamparidryvermouth

From what I can remember, they weren't happy about the ridicule of men in some forms of the media, the lack of an explicit focus on men's mental health given their increased likelihood to commit suicide, and various things to do with custody laws and disputes. These aren't necessarily all issues that I agree with, but I thought that they were relevant to feminism and deserved to be discussed.

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PortofinoRevisited · 09/09/2014 19:07

They had a MRA organisation at your university? Which one was it? I would love to know more.

CaptChaos · 09/09/2014 19:05

Why should women, who have been and continue to oppressed by men (NAMALT) for centuries waste their energy fighting for the rights of their oppressors when there are still so many areas of life where we don't have equality. Freedom isn't finite. It doesn't run out if you share it, it might be a good thing for men to remember that while they jealously guard their privilege. One group being allowed the same rights as another, and having the same responsibilities, doesn't take anything away from the group that had hem in the first place.

MRAs hate women by the way. At least very single one who opens their mouths does.

cailindana · 09/09/2014 19:04

I have never looked for or imagined threats from MRAs - I have, however, been actually and openly threatened by MRAs, with rape and violence. I am threatened by MRA because they have threatened me.

gincamparidryvermouth · 09/09/2014 19:02

Isn't it possible that men and women both suffer oppression from society in different ways?

Can you give us an example of male oppression in the UK today? What sort of things were the men in your university MRA group agitating for?

LaVoixDeLaRaison · 09/09/2014 18:58

Branleuse

A fine example, straight away. Why are they thought of as cunts just because they also want to achieve gender equality (albeit from a different angle)? Obviously there are trolls and idiots in every movement, and they're not the people I'm talking about here.

gertiegusset

Well there's probably a multitude of reasons, but I witnessed first-hand why men felt threatened by feminists at my university. Unless they agreed with what was (in my opinion) a fairly radical form of feminism which had no room for the discussion of men's rights, they were made to feel like misogynists, and were not welcomed in the society.

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gertiegusset · 09/09/2014 18:52

Wouldn't a better question be why do men feel so threatened by feminists?
Men are quite at liberty to fight for any rights they feel they are lacking, why do they need to attack women for wanting equal rights/pay/conditions etc.

Branleuse · 09/09/2014 18:51

not so much threatened, as think theyre cunts

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