Alarming Female

Mr. Shakes over at Shakesville muses over the question of why so many men, including progressive men, are still quite adamant in their distaste for and unsupportive of the feminist movement, though they may very well support individual women as feminists.

His excellent article raises several thought-provoking points, and argues, I believe convincingly, that feminism does benefit us all–women, men, and those who find themselves not so easily categorized.

Now, why is it that many of Mr. Shakes’s commenters leave their holier-than-thou feminist bashing opinions, but don’t leave any contact information? One even asks, “Why don’t you ask some (progressive) men why they don’t support feminism? I suspect you’ll hear the same set of complaints over and over again,” and then leaves no way to actually take him up on his offer. And I would have.

I attended a lecture recently at the University of Utah with some students from our school’s GSA (of which I am advisor) on the topic of Queer Theory. One of the panelists was discussing a conference at which he and another member of the University’s LGBTQ student association presented on Queer Theory. He said that their presentation met with an openly hostile audience who would fire back immediately after he made each of his points during his presentation.

However, his co-presenter, a women, could not even complete her sentences before she was shouted down. He commented on his realization that he, even as a man who identifies as Queer, still was given more respect and the opportunity to make his points than his co-presenter, a woman.

This echoes Shirley Chisholm’s quote,

Of my two handicaps, being female put many more obstacles in my path than being black.

Women are still at the bottom of the hierarchy. And since it is a false construct that keeps women there, it stands to reason that the false construct that keeps men on top must, because it is false, extract a heavy price as men put their energies into not being found out for the ordinary persons they are.

Notice I said “ordinary.” Not inferior. Just human beings with all their foibles and goofiness.

One of the commenters on Mr. Shakes’s post made this brilliant point,

. . .why do many men dislike the feminist movement while supporting race- and class-based movements, and probably also supporting the gay rights movement? Mr. Shakes did not answer this question, because most of the reasons he gave for opposing feminism also apply to race and (to a lesser extent) class. But why is it that people who support race and class-based progressive politics are less supportive of gender-based progressive politics?

I’m not sure I have any answers myself. A number of commenters have suggested that the feminist movement contains many doctrinaire exclusionary jerks. This may be true, but it proves too much. ANY political movement contains many doctrinaire exclusionary jerks. But progressive men have no problem shrugging off the Trotskyites and the Farrakhans.

Here, here.

I know I’m in Utah, where to some “feminism” is the worst F-word (second to the other one), but I don’t see how ANYONE can call themselves progressive or, heaven forbid, liberal, and not support feminism. I know I don’t have enough readership to get flamed on this one, but if by chance there is someone out there who would deign to enlighten me with an opposing viewpoint, I would welcome it graciously.