Andys Man Club

[IdealHomeExhibition]

https://andysmanclub.co.uk/

This looks brilliant 👏 we'll done them.

Nothing about being inclusive though or making all men welcome, including anyone who identifies as a man who was assigned female at birth.

Does anyone know if they accept women who don't feel like women or does this sort of thing only apply to women's groups?

It is a great initiative, but I think how accepting they are depends on the local group.

One near us is has welcomed the teenage DC of a friend, who is highly autistic and identifies as trans, ace and queer.

I imagine many of their groups do accept women who now identify as men.

Because it’s not quite the same as the reverse.

It's not quite the same but I would think when the focus is on men's mental health it's about the sort of life experience that men share. I would think having a woman who identifies as a man would change the dynamic a lot.
I would imagine that some of the men feel a real duty of care to not quite use the same sort of speech that they might in a comfortable group of all men.

I imagine either they don't get any trans men (xx) because their life experiences and issues are different, or, they simply don't realise, because it never occurred to them to wonder why X is suspiciously short and wide of hip (men naturally have a much wider range of bodies than women).

it's about the sort of life experience that men share. I would think having a woman who identifies as a man would change the dynamic a lot.

iirc, there have been reports of women joining Andy's or Men's Sheds and then trying to block other women from joining. Support for inclusion for women varies from one place to another. I know women who want to join because they can be surprisingly well-resourced (none of the 4 listed (relatively) local to me accept women).

Activities in Sheds vary greatly, but you can usually find woodworking, metalworking, repairing and restoring, electronics, model buildings or even car building in a typical Shed. Sheds typically attract older men, but many have younger members and women too.

https://menssheds.org.uk/sheds/

I think this is a brilliant resource, and I know a few men who go. My local group was asked if they accept women, not transman, and they very politely said no, it is for men only. And no one protested, spat on the men or tried to get the venue closed.

They are trans inclusive. Trans men are men.

#citation needed

Funny that. I bet no women who want to pretend they're men want to make the men at these groups uncomfortable for a sexual thrill.

Luke Ambler came to give a presentation about AMC at my work recently. He was very good, and he mentioned that they have an equivalent set-up for women as well.

I wonder what exactly hd means by "women".

I wonder what the women's equivalent involves? Sewing machines? A fully equipped kitchen? Workshops on how to paint your nails and crochet?

I think the sheds sound great, by the way, but the sexual stereotyping leaves me a bit 'meh'. Perhaps the women who sought to join are desperate to get their hands on the woodworking and metalworking gear.

If women want to get their hands on those things we can set up our own services. Women are resourceful like that. In general we have far more ways of making social connections that support our health and wellbeing than men.
Our local men's shed held a regular day for women. I'm sure of there was plenty of call for it it will still be running. It was kind of them.

I wasn't knocking the sheds. But this is a thread on a feminist board, after all...

Yes but I think this is the perfect illustration that when sex matters it really matters.

A woman can find a supportive group of other women by following just about any interest she might have. Men's conversation is often much more surface about things they do rather than how they feel so it makes sense to have groups for the purpose that are specifically for them.

Yes, I get that.