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Teachers describe a deterioration in behaviour and attitudes that has proved to be fertile terrain for misogynistic influencers

“As soon as I mention feminism, you can feel the shift in the room; they’re shuffling in their seats.” Mike Nicholson holds workshops with teenage boys about the challenges of impending manhood. Standing up for the sisterhood, it seems, is the last thing on their minds.

When Nicholson says he is a feminist himself, “I can see them look at me, like, ‘I used to like you.’”

Once Nicholson, whose programme is called Progressive Masculinity, unpacks the fact that feminism means equal rights and opportunities for women, many of the boys with whom he works are won over.

“A lot of it is bred from misunderstanding and how the word is smeared,” he says.

But he is battling against what he calls a “dominance-based model” of masculinity. “These old-fashioned, regressive ideas are having a renaissance, through your masculinity influencers – your grifters, like Andrew Tate.”

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[–] Candelestine@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

If you don't want to parent your own son, there is someone out there willing to do it for you. They will not do a good job.

[–] TWeaK@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

“A lot of it is bred from misunderstanding and how the word is smeared,”

The same could be said about "communism" and "socialism". The words have been turned dirty, such that people shy away from what is objectively a good thing when done honestly and to the letter of the principle.

[–] FenrirIII@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Kind of like Critical Race Theory. If properly understood and applied, people would benefit from the knowledge and empathy.

[–] TWeaK@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Pretty much exactly the same, except CRT got knocked down before it even had established itself as a positive thing.

[–] Pips@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 9 months ago

It was already established. It's just a theoretical framework in various social studies. It was deliberately bastardized by the right as they were seeking something to hate. It wasn't even in the public consciousness, just something academics used and that get taught in some higher ed classes. It's a very useful framework but it's not something that you'd actually teach a kid.

[–] Scubus@sh.itjust.works 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

To be fair, the term "feminist" was highjacked by the radical feminist movement. They very much do not believe in equality, their motto is "kill all men"

I think it's easy to see why that would turn people away. Hence why I describe myself as an equalizer, not a feminist.

Edit: my statement was very reasonable and I'm willing to engage in discussion about what I have witnessed. If you think I'm pushing an agenda or trying to convince others of anything, feel free to check my post history. However, if you accuse me of pushing an agenda or lying or anything else, you are engaging in false faith and will be blocked. I have a long history of supporting women's rights, as evidenced by several posts I have made. But I will not stand for being accused of being a right winger.

[–] TWeaK@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago

I think again that was one that was actually hijacked by the right wing. There is far more fearmongering about hardcore feminists than there are hardcore feminists.

[–] Socsa@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Men benefit significantly from feminism, through the breakdown of male stereotypes, and the expansion of how normative masculinity is defined. Not that benefiting cishet men is necessarily the most important thing in the world, but the idea that feminism puts men on the losing end of some zero sum game is simply wrong.

Honestly it could not be more clear in my own experience. There is a ton of diversity in the human experience, and the masculine experience is part of that. You deny your own freedom when you put yourself and others in a conformity pigeonhole. And you additionally deny yourself access to this diversity of experience when you do it to others. But I also kind of understand why this nuance is initially lost on children, and suspect that experience plus education will help immensely.

[–] Commiunism@lemmy.wtf 1 points 9 months ago

While feminism is far from perfect, especially smaller circles that want to have unfair divorce rights for women or whatever, people like Andrew Tate are both the problem (as in, spreading the classic incel rhetoric) and the symptom (why young adults and teens follow people like him).

Though not only him, but also a lot of right-wing youtube channels are pushing false narratives in order to get outrage clicks and to radicalize people against things like feminism. You have youtube videos that say how "feminism is trying to ruin men" or "crazy feminists want to remove sexy girls from video games" or "feminists don't care about men", and given the amount of right-wing youtube videos that get hundreds of thousands and not millions of views, a lot of people do believe it. In reality, however, men do have issues and feminists are acknowledging them and are trying to do something about it (for example, toxic masculinity being responsible for male loneliness for instance), but also things like patriarchy, discrimination and so on.

Hating feminism and/or women isn't going to solve male loneliness. Actual societal-level change, something that feminists are striving for, is the answer.

[–] El_guapazo@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

I see this on my school campus quite a lot. When the male teachers direct students from using an exterior door, they usually just say ok and then around. When the female teachers are on duty and day the same things, they get verbally abused. If I'm out there with the female teachers, there aren't any issues.

[–] badaboomxx@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

I really think that tate is an imbecil, and his fanbase are just being manipulated.

It is sad to see that boys think that this idiot is someone who deserve attention.

[–] angelsomething@lemmy.one 1 points 9 months ago

This shit stain can be both.

[–] CliveRosfield@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

People hyperfocus on the 1% of crazy feminists instead of the other 99% who are actually normal and reasonable. Sadly that 1% are doing more harm to the public image of feminism than good.

We live in an age of twitter screenshot outrage and that pathetically emboldens some peoples beliefs so the root cause really is social media. Nothing more nothing less.

[–] LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

I really dislike the way you're portraying feminism as a brand and trying to assign responsibility onto individuals for the public perception of that brand. It's not the responsibility of any woman to convince men that they deserve rights, that they deserve fair political power and representation. If someone is dissuaded from supporting women's rights because someone said something they didn't like or agree with, that person is a misogynist and unlikely to have ever actually supported women's rights in any meaningful capacity.

The caricature of the "crazy feminist" is also in and of itself misogynistic, and is used to silence feminist activism all the time. Not that there aren't legitimate extremist parts to the movement, particularly in the 60s 70s and 80s when feminism had yet to make many major strides towards female liberation. Just that the label is often used to dismiss things like the pink tax, the wage gap, and discussions of rape culture and intersectionality.

[–] homura1650@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Feminist and women are not synonyms. Feminism is a political movement. Every political movement needs to advocate for itself. That is the way politics works.

[–] LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 9 months ago

Feminism is a political movement in the same way the civil rights movement was/is a political movement or that the gay rights movement is a political movement. It's a rights movement. It's a resistance movement, resisting patriarchy and misogyny.

It is self evidently true that women deserve rights. It is not the job of women to convince you they deserve rights. Feminism organizes women against the systems that oppress them. It does not appeal to the humanity of misogynists.

[–] CliveRosfield@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I really dislike the way you’re portraying feminism as a brand and trying to assign responsibility onto individuals for the public perception of that brand

Feminism is a brand in the same way civil rights are. There's a reason why MLK succeeded where Malcolm X failed, Gandhi successfully took back India, Obama won the 2008 election, etc. This all has to do with how they're perceived to people not part of their movement. Without a good brand none of these movements would have ever succeeded. And yes it is up to the leaders and each individual member of these movements to uphold a generally good perception. Thinking otherwise is ridiculous. You have to win over the population, always.

It’s not the responsibility of any woman to convince men that they deserve rights, that they deserve fair political power and representation. If someone is dissuaded from supporting women’s rights because someone said something they didn’t like or agree with, that person is a misogynist and unlikely to have ever actually supported women’s rights in any meaningful capacity.

In an ideal world no, but we are not in an ideal world. If someone is a mysgonist what is so wrong with sitting down with them and discussing topics like normal human beings and showing them why that's wrong? Just completely shutting them out like how you're describing is exactly how you embolden an opposition group. Imagine someone on twitter was actually just simple minded and based their opinions on one tweet and didn't actually hear the other side properly? A lot of people like that exist. And if your attitude is "oh they're misogynistic and never cared so I shouldn't even bother" then you're just digging your own hole.

The caricature of the “crazy feminist” is also in and of itself misogynistic, and is used to silence feminist activism all the time. Not that there aren’t legitimate extremist parts to the movement, particularly in the 60s 70s and 80s when feminism had yet to make many major strides towards female liberation. Just that the label is often used to dismiss things like the pink tax, the wage gap, and discussions of rape culture and intersectionality.

See what I, and I'm sure many others dislike is the way you derive misogyny from a simple example. A lot of people simply don't see anything wrong with calling out the "crazies" of a group. Am I islamaphobic for calling out terrorists? No. Am I anti-christian for calling out the Westboro Baptist church? No. Am I misogynistic for making fun of clearly unhinged people on twitter? No. Extreme examples of course, but you get the picture. The instant jump to misogyny when genuinely crazy, unhinged, insane feminists get made fun of is ridiculous. Like I said, >99% of feminists are completely normal and sane. There is nothing wrong or hateful for calling out the crazy people in any group.

[–] LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Studies have shown for 50 years now that trying to convince a bigot to stop being a bigot is literally not possible. You cannot force someone to stop being bigoted. You can't convince them women should be able to divorce their husbands if they already believe that women shouldn't be able to.

We gain nothing by even speaking with them, literally nothing. MLK didn't just by himself win the civil rights movement, first of all. Nor did he come after Malcolm X or something. They were both a part of the same movement at the same time. The most effective tactics he employed had nothing to do with appealing to the humanity of white supremacist segregationists. The most effective tactics employed were the ones that broadcast injustice to the entire black community, promoting solidarity and resulting in widespread demonstrations, protests, and both passive and active civil unrest. MLK did not call for white saviors to come save them. He fought actively against the system that upheld white supremacy. He appealed to those who already believed that black people should have rights by broadcasting injustice that was self-evidently wrong.

Gays didn't get rights by begging at the feet of homophobes. We got rights by throwing bricks at them. We got rights by rioting, causing unrest and disrupting the homophobic as much as possible. We wouldn't be here if black drag queens in the 60s hadn't punched back.

[–] JohnDoe@lemmy.myserv.one 1 points 9 months ago

i think the notion of 'convincing' is the issue. it really needs to be done by men, it's not as though what women are saying is factually incorrect or the content is off, it's often the opposite i find. when i say what women or feminists i respect say i always seem to get a better response than if a woman said it or the original author said it.

it's such a shame, there's already a ton of work done by a sizeable proportion of the population and it's ignored or misconstrued :/

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

The only time I ever hear about that 1% is from the conservative propaganda machine, or MSM rebuttal. They hold zero power outside of the conservative cinematic universe.

At this point I consider it nothing more than manufactured outrage.

[–] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I also blame CBC and other supposedly legit sources for giving this fuck air time and even asking him about the Israel/Palestine war as if his opinion matters.

Also so called journalists like this who remove all responsibility from Tate for being a rapist piece of shit

[–] avater@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

Is it really that hard not to be a fucking cunt?

[–] Minotaur@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I’ve always felt like these things are cyclical in a way - just in that people are constantly rebelling against the last generation.

When I went to high school in the early 2010s there was this huge movement of like… positivity and sunshine and wellness and feminism and good times for all. Bob Ross was on everyone’s mind and Pharrell’s “Happy” blasted on the stereo, people wore really bright and mismatched and often gaudy outfits.

This was seemingly “in response” to that mid 2000s emo/grunge/depressed aesthetic which was very dark and moody. And now, in response to that 2010s positivity we seem to get this really jaded, “actually, feminism sucks and becoming a ‘trad catholic’ is chic” movement.

It’s annoying, and I’m sure we’ll see an opposite shift again in 5 years.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

Jeez, you must have gone to high school in a rich neighborhood

For most people 2009-2015 or so was an impoverished hellhole. Everyone was recovering from the great recession. Societal outlook was fucking BLEAK.

[–] HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

weird cause I got really depressed around that time because I was an unemployable highschool dropout during a recession so I fucking hated that happy song.

[–] LarmyOfLone@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I’ve always felt like these things are cyclical in a way - just in that people are constantly rebelling against the last generation.

That implies that it's somehow a natural cycle, but this is dangerous because it ignores and "Laissez-faire" the fascist propaganda that is blasted deliberately into our global society. It started with fox news and talk radio where funding from fascists helped spread "misinformation" and now continues on social media, where the same funding takes place. The strategy behind this funding is that fascism works when socio-economic circumstances get worse and worse, and allow further exploitation.

Additionally, controversial viewpoints are rewarded by more engagement and clicks - and so become part of the strategy of AI algorithms.

You should absolutely not assume it gets better on it's own, without enough people pushing back against it and without the rules of how the system is allowed to work being changed. Gen Z is just as susceptible to propaganda as Boomers.

[–] maness300@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

From my experience, men who follow feminism get pats on the back while men who ignore feminism get laid.

The issue isn't the men. It's what women value. Men just do what they think will get them laid.

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

This comment is somehow both extremely misogynistic and misandrist at the same time.

Men and women deserve respect. Men and women are responsible for their own actions. These two statements should not be controversial

[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I actually agree.... We simply ignore the needs of men who are suffering. When was the last time you read a story about a male domestic abuse victim who WASN'T laughed at.

[–] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Toxic masculinity is the reason for that as well. Being the victim is seen as being less masculine, which is seen as worthy of ridicule.

Toxic masculinity hurts everyone.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world -1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

When men do bad things: "this is toxic masculinity"

When women do bad things: "this is also toxic masculinity"

[–] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

When men don't get the support they need. Or are ridiculed for feeling emotions other than anger. And don't feel they can cry without being judged.

Women can absolutely be abusers. That's called shitty people and has nothing to do with masculinity, toxic or otherwise.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Most men cry in front of a woman exactly once.

That's not toxic masculinity. It's toxic femininity and NO ONE is addressing it in a systemic way.

[–] barsoap@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

In feminist theory "masculinity" and "femininity" don't mean "what men do" and "what women do" but value systems floating through society affecting people.

So in that sense yes woman can exhibit toxic masculinity, if they reinforce those shitty norms. Likewise men can exhibit toxic femininity... say, comparatively harmless example, by discouraging a tomboy from skating.

It's just one of those gazillions of instances where feminist terminology sucks absolutely donkeyballs because you need to read theory to understand it, which practically noone who calls themselves a feminist actually does, it's all vibes and signals very little analysis they abuse those terms just like the rest of the population. The rest of the population at least has an excuse, they're using the dictionary definition.

In this particular instance, "toxic (male) gender norm" would be much better.

[–] sagrotan@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (2 children)

A big problem - for ages now - is, that young men just don't have fathers. There's a male around, often, but these are rarely "fathers" that convey a whole picture of a male person. I grew up without one, and I can tell you, how confusing that can be. You attach yourself very easily to ideas other male persons have. Thinking for yourself is another skill that's kinda rare, not only today, it was at any time. It's hard to navigate these years.

[–] maness300@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I grew up without a dad and prefer it to having a shitty dad, which is what most people have.

[–] CAVOK@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Most people have shit dads? Really?

I have doubts, but I'm sorry you feel that way.

[–] maness300@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

Absolutely. A good father is hard to come by.

A lot of them end up clipping the wings (and foreskins) of their children because their wings (and foreskins) were clipped, too.

These kids then go through life thinking that's how they should treat others if they love them. It creates a lot of confusion that could be assuaged by acknowledging most fathers are shit.

[–] kamenoko@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Generational trauma is a motherfucker and until enough people break the cycle we're stuck on this rollercoaster of periodic facism.

[–] jerkface@lemmy.ca 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If you cannot name, let alone quote, a single piece of feminist literature, are you really against feminism, or are you just railing against your own fucked up projections?

[–] Jtotheb@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Against, in my opinion, because you hold women back even if it is unwittingly.

But they’re also far from unreachable. Ignorance has a solution.

[–] Bull205@sh.itjust.works 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

YouTube Algorithms, facebook Algorithms, etc. make them all publishers responsible for their content.

[–] McDropout@lemmy.world -1 points 9 months ago

the algorithms just rewards "shocking" content; it generates conversation.

[–] yeah@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If men and boys are finding current models of masculinity to be difficult - which is what Tate et al prey on - perhaps they have more in common with feminists. The patriarchy harms everyone.

[–] JohnDoe@lemmy.myserv.one 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

contemporary feminism (and the wave immediately before) have done a lot more for me than how men have told me I 'ought' to act. fine, I'm not as manly or a man as far as some are concerned. what is really annoying is the apathy and close-mindedness of most of these men who interacted with me negatively.

asking a few questions is enough to make them emotional (which is fine when they do it and not ok when others do it in a way unlike their own) and more intensely emotional than nearly all women i've interacted with. that too is fine, it becomes a pain when i'm taken to be some kind of enemy or other by standards it seems like they cannot apply to themselves.

i want to say they are gaslighting, only, i really don't think it's intentional. there's a genuine misunderstanding and that's annoying as heck.