MPs just debated having a Minister for Men

[NotDarkGothicMama]

Conservative MP Dr Luke Evans had 1.5 hours of Parliamentary time today to debate his idea of having a Minister for Men and Boys. He reckons women have a minister, so men should too.

Link to what he has to say about it: drlukeevans.org

I'm sympathetic to the cause of men suffering from MH issues. I think it's beyond belief though that precious time has been wasted pandering to yet another man making something for women about himself.

The problem with the phrase 'toxic masculinity' is that it implies it's a problem inherent to being male. In reality, a lot of women prioritise financial success in a partner because it makes their lives easier, so they support this dynamic.

I don't think working mothers always have it easy, but once the kids are older many do. Whilst their husbands will often be at the most stressful point of their career with significant responsibility and a job where you can't just easily change into another role without making serious sacrifices.

There are a lot of women working in relatively junior roles like receptionists etc who have high earning husbands. The reverse is generally not true.

Different scenario. If the domestic labour and admin is outsourced it still gets done. That is just a financial decision between husband and wife as to whether they can afford it and are happy to have less disposable money to allow the stay at home spouse to do nothing.

The cocklodger issue is when a man unilaterally decides to contribute neither labour nor money and the couple's income does not allow for buying this in, meaning the burden to both earn and housekeep falls disproportionately on the wife.

It happens the other way round too of course, but far far less often, hence I think it's valid to suggest it as an alternative explaination for your divorce stats.

I don't think anyone genuinely believes "toxic masculinity" means a problem inherent in men. I think everyone understands it refers to the toxic pressures and expectations put on men that can result in toxic attitudes to himself and others.

I do think some people claim to think it means what you suggest as a way to dismiss the whole concept and therefore avoid having to tackle a hard issue thst jeopardises some men's self image as helpless victims of Feminism.

There are more women working in lower paid professions full stop.

And I'm certainly not going to deny many men do prefer lower paid (and younger!) women because they like the power differential - yet again it all comes back to the toxic belief that a man should have a certain role leading to men tying their self value into having that role.

I agree. Expect that toxic belief is also shared by many women. That's why I'm not sure it should be termed 'toxic masculinity'. Ultimately, what we're describing is the same dynamic though.

It's also likely influenced by biological factors too. By taking time out the workplace the female is perhaps more likely to miss promotions and end up the lower earner, unless she was already outearning her partner. This may work to place the man in the primary provider role without it ever having been a conscious choice.

Agree.

If a minister for men is appointed will that mean the minister for women will automatically be abolished?

The cocklodger issue is when a man unilaterally decides to contribute neither labour nor money and the couple's income does not allow for buying this in, meaning the burden to both earn and housekeep falls disproportionately on the wife.

So it's OK to be a cocklodger as long as your keeper can afford a cleaner?

Just saw this, which is tangentially relevant:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/05/gen-z-men-baby-boomers-wives-should-obey-husbands?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

A minister for men could speak up for trans identifying men.
Rather than that being done by every other MP at the expense of women.

No issue with this on principle.
A lot of working-class boys/men have been left behind.
Men have a much higher rate of suicide than women.

Their focus will be key and whether they will help vulnerable men or just the privileged and/or use it to attack women's rights.

the government has been majority men for so long and yet they still can't get anything done so now they require a minister for men too...i despair for the state of men, why do we let these people run the country

Yes exactly!

They don't grow up being groomed that some Prince Charming will come along and make their dreams come true. Instead they grow up believing they can be and do whatever they want.

They don't spend enormous amounts of time. energy and money on hair, make-up, clothing, physique, diet, virtue-signalling, childcare or housework.

They tend to pick subjects and degrees that pay the most : Stem subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths.

That leaves enormous amount of time to spend on careers in all sectors but usually in the ones that pay the most money. They leave the low-paid jobs to women in the main.

However, working-class boys have been noticeably left behind and something needs to be done about that too.

To address male violence, greed and patriarchy? Good idea.

However, working-class boys have been noticeably left behind and something needs to be done about that too.

I do think part of this may also be the push over the last few decades to get everyone to uni. Obv everyone should have the choice but it's a bit of a myth that it's the best way to success IMO - it's just one option.

Granted, if you want be a CEO/international businessman it probs helps but last time I checked average trade/construction salary was £10k higher than average graduate salary. I can believe this because most of the machine operators I work with are on about £20-25 p/h working around 50 hours a week - some do overtime/weekends too and get £30+ an hour overtime rate.

Probs not gonna get you to £100k+ (most people don't anyway) but guaranteed to have you earning £50k+ in your 20s with no student loan if you're half motivated. Still amazes me there's a shortage of operators. People just aren't knowledgeable on it and most middle class kids wouldn't consider it by default IME. Unlike offices where you have a fair few people on lower salaries, most operators are on good money in civil construction. All the plant machines command £20+ p/h with the big contractors, often £24-£27 if self employed.

Flannery are literally doing a free bootcamp atm. My 50yo mate has just done his ADT (50-100 ton dump trucks) and tracked dumper tickets for free after being made redundant and fancying a chance. He's got zero experience. I've also signed up since they'll take anyone (not just people new to the sector) and will be getting two machine tickets in the new financial year for free - about £2000-3000 worth of training.

I was talking to a Romanian guy last week who couldn't have been more than 25yo. He was working as a joiner on HS2 and making £1500 a week. With years of work still to go he said he's planning to buy a rental property so imagine he'll do pretty well for himself. Trades apparently get on the property ladder three years before graduates on average.

I also worked nights on HS2 this week driving the concrete mixers. Started at 6pm and was done by 21:15 all but one night which was 11pm. Was just taking a single load and pouring it into the foundations. £360 a shift for just over three hours work most nights. Not bragging, just mentioning for context.

It's so much easier than when I was a bid/project manager. No office politics or awkward team members/bosses etc. And can easily find work when experienced so don't have to worry about pleasing awkward bosses. If they piss me off I can just walk. I'd never go back to an office job.

You mean you don’t agree with the arguments you made for there to be a Minister for Men & Boys.

Thank goodness it isn’t down to you then.

You could equally say that discrimination against women could be dealt with alongside general equality rather than having a separate minister.

The charities say that the biggest causes of stress for men are financial stress and the fear of not being able to provide for their families. So this is a gender issue. You see loads of threads on here with an OP whinging that she's changed her mind about going back to full time work and trying to paint her husband as the bad guy for not being happy about it.

This is the sort of situation that contributes towards poor mental health in men - having to carry the bulk of the mental load. Although mumsnet would have you believe that writing xmas cards and remembering dental appts is the biggest source of mental load lol.

Men suffer the vast majority of violence and homicide. Feminists usually wave this away by pointing out that it's all perpetrated by men but that's just because they often have a myopic perspective that only looks at gender and ignores things like race and sexual orientation etc. When a gay/black man gets his head stomped on by a homophobic/racist thug he isn't collectively responsible just because he shares the biological sex of his attacker. That would be absurd. A bit like dismissing honour killings by saying it's black on black violence.

Feminism alone isn't a sufficient tool to navigate all this stuff and many feminists are too entrenched to see this.

Thank you, that’s well articulated

A man taking wanting to responsibility for other men and a recognition that a man’s mental wellbeing is not the responsibility or sole remit of the females in his life? How can that be negative?

as a woman with a young son, I welcome this. I do not want to be making excuses for him in 20 years or be feeling like I failed in my job as a parent.

The sort of person that would respond all lives matter to the black lives matter movement....

People love pointing out how most violence against men is perpetrated by other men. But isn't most violence against black people intra-racial?

Literally misses the point of my post in it's entirety

@GaIadrielwhy are you on an old thread ranting away about how evil feminists are when the majority of women on this thread agreed with the idea and when I was actually persuaded to see it as a good thing very quickly and easily by a male poster? 90% of this thread is pro a Men’s Minister and you’ve come on here accusing women of whinging and saying they shouldn’t get to vote…