Quote:
Originally Posted by Matata
The only way these issues get resolved is by providing means of support and removing the social stigma that men don't deserve emotional support. Culture changes very, very slowly, just because it doesn't immediately gain traction is no reason to dismiss it outright.
|
I think there are some very important mens' and boys' health issues that tend to get swept under the rug, particularly in regards to addiction, mental health, as as both victims and perpetrators in the cycle of abuse. But when the men's rights movements are so frequently pointing to feminism as their enemy, I don't see the potential for positive cultural change; I see a perpetuation of the same cultural problems that they claim to want to break.
Like you say, cultural change is very slow. Feminism (in its modern form) is a relatively new part of our society; it's not a perfect movement and it can be guilty of a lack of empathy for other groups of victims. It needs to be allowed time to grow and be comfortable with its relatively new-found power that it's needed to fight so hard to achieve.
Start by accepting that feminists and their allies are not your opponents (even those that see you as their opponents); they are fellow advocates for change, and sometimes fellow victims. They aren't always going to see your side of the story, and that's okay. They're going to be justifiably suspicious that your motives are not sincere but are for a return to a pre-feminist society (because that's certainly what Elam and others like him have advocated for). You aren't going to get anywhere by trying to tear them down. Just keep trying to have legitimate conversations about health, education, and abuse, and over time common understanding will prevail. Any approach other than that is doomed to fail.