37 year old man here

[BlueStahli]

Hello,

I'm a 37 year old male, married, with two children--a boy and a girl.

I've always had an issue with sexism. But only recently have I been delving headlong into it. I've been researching facts and studies, talking to people, getting opinions, and voicing my own views. In the process, I stumbled across this site. So I joined. I hope to learn much here. Needless to say, I'll be spending most of my time hanging out in the feminism forum.

My reasons for being here are three-fold:

1. I want facts! I want to know how sexism and discrimination have been measured/studied scientifically and what results have been found. I want to know what kinds of government policies and human rights have been instated (or removed) and where in the world this has happened. I'm tired of anecdotal stories and questioning how biased people's claims are and I feel I'm ready to take a position on more secure grounds--but I need to build those grounds first.

2. I feel I can contribute much to feminism by offering a man's perspective. I wear my heart of my sleeve and I'm not afraid to reveal personal information. But I also feel that if I'm going to give my perspective on certain issues, I'm going to have to earn the right to do it first (so you won't get it in my first post :)). I'm confident that I can do this in a constructive/non-offensive way, and if I ever do step out of line (never advertently), I'm open to being corrected. Ultimately, I feel that if two groups are trying to settle their differences, there's no better way than to hear the perspectives on both sides.

3. I've got issues! :) I really do! Like I said, I've always had issues with sexism, and lately I've been on a self-induced "therapy kick". I've been forcing myself to "get over it". Diving into the issue with other peopleother womenis how I'm doing it. I don't think I'll ever be "cured" of my issues, but if I'm going to be stuck with them, I figure I might as well have them for the right reasons (i.e. educating myself--as in #1 above).

So that's my spiel.

So first order of business: I'd like to ask if there are any males on this forum--particularly ones that frequent the feminism forum. I'd like to ask their advice on how a man conducts himself on a forum devote to moms and feminism.

Thanks :)

"I love these curtains "

It would be inappropriate to smirk, wouldn't it...?

TBF, zazzles, I don't think Pan even "looked for" an apology from petunia.

That's fine yonic, I respect that you have a different opinion on this.

I will apologise, Neil, that my peace dust has been ineffective on SOME posters but not for the quality. If you'd bothered to read the 1,768,934 posts I've made on this website, you'd know that I am considered the world expert on Peace Dust and Zen Glitter manufacturing, and have in fact just returned from delivering a top-level dust 'n' glitter strategy to the UN for deployment on the Iraq/Iran border. In case you're interested, we cannot deliver an effective d&g treatment to Afghanistan, due to the large amounts of ordinary dust blowing around the place.

This makes me wonder whether SOME posters are themselves extremely dusty, a rare condition which can result from emotional neglect in childhood with compensatory self-importance. The D&G Peace And Love Foundation is leading ground-breaking research into dustiness.

I do not require an apology in return, for I am Zen.

Zazzles - I have reported your baseless and thoroughly unpleasant personal attacks on me. Am usually prepared to put up with all sorts of rubbish, but that sort of stuff, at the very least, demeans the site we are posting on.

Pan, if you think calling you on some unpleasantness is a personal attack then I think you need to take a long hard look at yourself.

Dr, I'd probably agree with you, if you had a point.

I'm pretty sure the original purpose of the thread has long passed, so I'll pop off it, rather than give this type of 'exchange' any more legs.

oh hi Buffy, fancy you turning up here. Who'da thunk it!

Have a good one.

Let it lie, people, let it lie.
Or I will hit you all with my enormous Vic 'n' Bob frying-pan.

What is this 'Minecraft' of which you speak?

(Genuine question).

I am too old for Minecraft and the DC are too young. Hence my ignorance. And I'm not too keen on computer games, even the non-evil ones.

I'm an older mother, I'll be like those fusty parents in the 80s who wouldn't let their children watch ITV, holding out against gaming as long as I can. My kids will hate me, won't they?

Yes, that's it exactly!

By the way, what was this thread supposed to be about again? I've quite forgotten.

Frying pans, obvs. Sexist or not? Does ceramic coating make them gender neutral? What if the coating's pink?

Or what Buffy said

Pink-coated frying-pans, bleurgh!