Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The War on Men
Townhall.com ^ | November 30, 2017 | Laura Hollis

Posted on 11/30/2017 1:12:13 AM PST by Oshkalaboomboom

This is going to be an unpopular opinion, offered as it is in a maelstrom of headlines and revelations -- many long overdue -- about powerful men who have sexually abused, harassed, assaulted or otherwise exploited others. Each day brings new allegations, and nearly every day, more heads roll. But obscured behind the legitimate outrage against sexual predators is an unceasing cultural onslaught against men that should concern us every bit as much as the predation dominating the news.

I am absolutely not referring to current efforts to expose the men accused of sexual harassment or assault. I am speaking of a longer-term and more insidious attack against men -- and masculinity -- generally.

Masculinity itself risks becoming a dirty word. Across the country, workshops are being held to teach men how to avoid "toxic masculinity." It's one thing to suggest, as some of these workshops do, that there is healthy and unhealthy masculinity. (Personal definitions of "masculinity" that equate maleness with violence or exploitation, for example, are clearly detrimental.) But the same could be said of any human attribute or relationship. There are toxic parents, toxic spouses, toxic co-workers; there is healthy self-love, and then there is narcissism, and so on.

It is something else altogether to suggest that masculinity is in and of itself toxic -- a not-infrequent idea expressed on social media and by some so-called feminist writers. A workshop offered at the Claremont Colleges last year was promoted with a flier that read, in part, "Masculinity can be extremely toxic to our mental health..." Such a view smears all men, simply because they are men.

We have seen a similar dynamic play out in discussions about race. Decades ago, efforts to raise awareness of an eradicate "discrimination" focused on actions that were unfair and harmful to racial minorities. Later, the conversation broadened to "racism," which focused more on attitudes behind the actions. Recently, however, these have morphed into "white privilege," which conveniently requires neither reprehensible individual conduct nor hostile personal attitudes in order to impose culpability. This trajectory reaches its logical conclusion in the statement that "all white people are racist" just by virtue of being white -- a sentiment so pervasive that Googling it brings up dozens of videos and articles making that very argument.

Is it a stretch to worry that the same kind of attitude is developing toward men? I don't think so. Earlier this week, a nurse named Taiyesha Baker who worked at Indiana University Health posted a tweet which read, "Every white woman raises a detriment to society when they raise a son. Someone with the HIGHEST propensity to be a terrorist, rapist, racist, killer and domestic violence all-star. Historically every son you had should be sacrificed to the wolves Bitch." IU Health later released a statement saying that the nurse in question no longer worked for them.

That may be one rash tweet. But author and columnist Stephen Marche published a serious piece in The New York Times on Nov. 25, "The Unexamined Brutality of the Male Libido." Drawing precisely the wrong conclusion from the Weinstein et al parade of horribles, Marche invokes the notion of Freudian repression and intones soberly, "If you let boys be boys, they will murder their fathers and sleep with their mothers." He concludes, saying, "It is not morality but culture -- accepting our monstrosity -- that can save us. If anything can."

Where to start? Are we seriously going to argue that male sexuality has never been "examined"? Not all men are monsters. And morality shapes culture. But that conclusion is deeply unpopular with large segments of the American population, especially on the left. The "anything goes" ethos of the sexual revolution -- and the abandonment of individual restraint and traditional sexual morality -- has only empowered the Harvey Weinsteins of the world.

Nor do these pronouncements happen in a vacuum. Over the past couple of years, there has been an explosion of media coverage -- almost a fetishizing -- of transgender and other gender-nonconforming individuals. It isn't limited to Caitlyn Jenner, Chelsea Manning or other adults. The New York Times published an article last week titled, "His Eye Makeup Is Way Better Than Yours," in which the author sings the praises of young boys who have become social media sensations for their adept application of makeup. Marie Claire magazine calls them "the beauty boys of Instagram." The youngest boy in the story is 10.

While heterosexual and "cisgendered" men endure a barrage of criticism and suspicion, the media fawns over men who wear makeup, dress like women and cut off their genitals.

The symbolism here is profoundly disturbing.

There have always been men who exploited their power over women (or children, or other men). But this is not characteristic of all men, and saying so is a terrible slur. The solution is morality -- a return to sexual restraint, and personal and professional decorum.

What we need are more men who are trained to be gentlemen, not boys who have been indoctrinated to be feminine.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: genderwars
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: Thibodeaux

Whites in Europe are in Decline but a small number of them still and will continue to rule until the Moslem hordes eventually wash them away and then Civilization ends in Europe. What Islamic countries have can be Civilization only as derivative of white Western Civilization. White men will always rule in a civilized society. Lighter skinned men will always rule in less than civilized societies because that is how they work. The rulers always marry their progeny off to the lighter skinned among them and thus perpetuate the system.


21 posted on 11/30/2017 6:01:33 AM PST by arthurus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

As a happily married mother of 4 boys and 4 girls - I am equally motivated to see males AND females get a fair shake in life.

I applaud the cleansing wind that is sweeping across the “elite” industries that have been lecturing people like us for decades.

Liberals - being liberals - will never concede they created and nurtured the cesspool and will grasp at straws to find any BS “lesson” to preach (because they ALWAYS have to be preaching)


22 posted on 11/30/2017 6:11:20 AM PST by Scotswife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scotswife

It’s true - working with, and for, women can be hellish.
My favorite definition of misogyny ...:”when men hate women just as much as women hate women”

I’ve always preferred working with male coworkers.
I’ve been fortunate to work with decent professional men who didn’t feel entitled to grab and leer.

Clearly what we are seeing in “elite” industries that like to condescend to everyday decent Americans - is that they HAVE been coddling degenerate perverts.


23 posted on 11/30/2017 6:18:43 AM PST by Scotswife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: RinaseaofDs
Any woman who’s ever worked in an all female workplace will tell you that it is hell.

Young women are in competition with each other, looking for a good husband. Now that I'm an older woman, I've found that women of a certain age are very supportive to each other. I'm very blessed to have many women friends. We've all been through life and all of its vicissitudes.

We've raised children, some of us are widowed, some of us are caring for aging, dependent husbands. We're battle-scarred, but still standing. We love each other: when one of us is hurting, we gather around in support. I'm grateful for all of these beautiful women.

24 posted on 11/30/2017 6:52:18 AM PST by Inspectorette
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

“...it’s getting to the point where soon a man coming on to a woman who’s not interested will be a criminal offence.”

Worse than that. Any interaction, whether social or business, will be risky. I have run into instances in engineering where even a different professional opinion, stated professionally and sticking to facts, is considered a violent assault. Something like what kind of flow measurement device should be used on saturated steam (that was an actual case).


25 posted on 11/30/2017 6:53:08 AM PST by Fred Hayek (The Democratic Party is now the operational arm of the CPUSA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

Its time for women to internalize that when they say “no” men hear “maybe”. Its in the DNA. Men are genetically designed to pursue women so just because a guy asks you out more than once does not necessarily constitute sexual harassment.

The majority of men in the US are fine upstanding individuals. Toxic Masculinity is just some buzz word created by the feminazis to brainwash young women.

Masculinity is what helps change your flat tire on the side of road or carry that 50 lb bag of topsoil you were dragging across the parking lot. :-)


26 posted on 11/30/2017 8:30:31 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RinaseaofDs
"Any woman who’s ever worked in an all female workplace will tell you that it is hell."

oh, Bullship.....I've worked with mostly women for decades....we get along fantastic even though people come and go in the workforce....

a typical freeper thread.....attacking women AGAIN because they get sexually assaulted and harassed and the poor liddle liddle men just can't handle the pressure.....

27 posted on 11/30/2017 8:43:17 AM PST by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: cherry

a typical freeper thread.....attacking women AGAIN because they get sexually assaulted and harassed and the poor liddle liddle men just can’t handle the pressure....
.....................................................
As coworkers I’ll take men any day of the week and twice on Sunday. They don’t get the screaming memies because someone didn’t quite come up to par and are always there when real help is needed....IF the lady has EARNED their respect. Unfortunately, far too many barbie dolls think they can rule men without any consequences. Men can also talk about more subjects than only themselves as females are prone to do.
Those liddle liddle men you refer to are really more than you can handle. Grow up and act responsibly or get off freeper threads.


28 posted on 11/30/2017 1:53:06 PM PST by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom
Criminalizing normal male sexuality and courting behaviors is picking up steam.

You look lovely. Can I take you to a movie sometime?

Help! Police!

29 posted on 11/30/2017 2:00:19 PM PST by deadrock
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom
The author is correct about this being unfortunate timing for her main premise, because as she remarks, the current anti-predator sensation in liberal media and political figures is not exactly what she's trying to talk about. "Natural" male sex drive does not really extend to attempting to boink everything female in the room unless one happens to be a goat. Restraint in such affairs is a keystone to human civilization. Untrammeled lust is not, and the current raft of celebrity predators is no more typical of civilized men than any other form of serial predation.

That said, the war on men is nothing particularly new. It is expressed most sharply and tragically toward its most vulnerable target: boys. Christina Hoff Sommers wrote a remarkably perceptive treatment of this in 2013's The War Against Boys that explains in part the sudden encouragement of sexual ambiguity among the targeted sex: boys who are persistently told that boys are evil and wrong are likely to want to be something else despite the clear dictates of biology. This is especially true in families who have radical political convictions toward that end.

It is a movement doomed to failure, but it has hurt a large number of the innocent along the way, which is all too much the intention of a malicious and hostile political culture. This need not be treated as a mere difference of opinion in the face of ruined lives, mutilated bodies, and disproportionate suicide. This is indeed a war.

30 posted on 11/30/2017 2:23:00 PM PST by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Redleg Duke

You were raised the right way, R.D., and you were very fortunate to have those wonderful men in your life. I think about my elementary students sometimes, knowing that many have little or no contact with their fathers (parents are divorced or never married; father is in jail, etc.). I wonder who will take them fishing, who will teach them to tie a necktie, who will teach them how to change a flat tire and the oil in their car? And who will teach them to hold out for a decent young lady to start a family with?

Thanks for being one of the good guys, Redleg Duke!


31 posted on 11/30/2017 3:17:16 PM PST by TXBlair (We will not forget Benghazi.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Inspectorette

I’m grateful for all of these beautiful women. >>>>>>>>>>>

As a man I am too.


32 posted on 12/01/2017 2:49:16 AM PST by Candor7 (Obama FAscism) http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson