The Dreaded "F" Word... Feminism. Part Five: Meninists and Toxic Masculinity

Feminism

NOUN

The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.

When I first started this post I had no intention of making it a multi-part piece. However, the more I researched the topic the more I came to realise that it would be doing a disservice to the subject if I attempted to cover it all in a single post.

Originally, the word "Meninist" was to used to refer to a male feminist. However, it has evolved into a movement used to mock and criticize feminism, some say satirically, by many who believe that feminism is somehow a threat to their masculinity and detrimental to society as a whole. What they don't seem to grasp is that the unnecessary issues and pressures felt by both men and women are caused by the same patriarchal system. And it is fighting this system of oppression that is the heart of the feminist movement.

Meninist promote the same hateful and sexist ideas that women have been battling against since the first wave. Sites like menarebetterthenwomen.com promote the idea that, not only should women not be permitted to own property, but that they themselves actually are property. And that jobs that are predominantly held by women are "easy, cheap, and worthless... because that's what women are: easy, cheap, and worthless." The site also claims that it is women who create hostile work environments and that sexual harassment doesn't really exist. These are the same types of people who believe that catcalling is actually a compliment and not an attempt to control the emotions and actions of a stranger.

These men only value women if there is some benefit to the relationship and that benefit is usually sex. This is called the "friend zone." This is a fictional concept were some men feel that if they show a woman kindness and become her friend then he is entitled to some form of intimate relationship. This aggressive male anti-feminist movement also gave rise to the Men Go Their Own Way (MGTOW). These men claim that all women are gold diggers and discourage men from becoming emotionally or financially attached to women. They claim that our society is gynocentric and unfairly favours women over men.

There is a growing fear in conservative circles regarding the loss of the "traditional" family and gender roles. Feminists have been accused of destroying the family and emasculating men to the point where men no longer feel the need to grow out of their childlike interests and behaviours. The late anti-feminist activist Phyllis Schlafly shared the same sentiment when she wrote in her book, Feminist Fantasies, that "sexual liberation is just a snow job to con women into taking the risks so that men can reap the rewards of the playboy lifestyle." The "traditional family" model, however, is dependent on a woman taking the biggest gamble of her life, that her husband is never going to leave her.

Women having economic freedom has been proven to not only be beneficial for her and her children but for men as well. Men shouldn't be completely responsible for carrying the financial burden of supporting a household. Homes where responsibilities are more equally distributed are happier and there are lower incidents of domestic violence.

Feminism is about fighting against the demonisation of feminine traits and qualities. It's about freeing all people and allowing them to express who they are without social stigma. Men and boys are constantly being told to "man up." The biggest insult for a man is to be feminized, "you're a pussy" or "you throw like a girl." Showing emotion is considered a weakness and a feminine trait. This is the main reason why men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health issues and more likely to successfully commit suicide. This is what is referred to as "toxic masculinity." Men should not be denied the freedom to express themselves and their emotions. Simply put, women should be able to live their lives without fear and men should be allowed to cry.