Daily Mirror - Fleet street fox / international men's day http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...lready-2805448
Ladies, gather round. We have a problem. The problem is men. They are in crisis. Dreadful things are afoot for them, and they need our help. Despite 6,000 years of patriarchy, despite the fact a mere 6.2 per cent of countries have a woman in charge, despite being boss of all major world religions, most businesses and all our current wars , men are not happy. Its not just because no-ones invented the self-washing sock yet, nor because they are so insecure theyre three times more likely to lie about their sexual abilities and waste six million hours a year being lost while refusing to ask for directions . Nor are they unhappy for the more serious and important reason that men are more likely to die before women at every point in their lives. They are more likely to suffer cot death, to wrap a Vauxhall Vectra round a tree, to go to war, to be killed by cancer, to die in a fight. They are not particularly bothered about the fact they are more likely to be excluded from school and less likely to get good qualifications, because they still earn an average £330,000 more than women over a lifetime. Anyone who can manage that with half a GCSE and a genetically-programmed death-wish is doing pretty well. No, theyre unhappy because they dont get any bloody thanks for all this. They even feel like theyre being discriminated against. That women have somehow got the upper hand, and whats more managed to do it while not running businesses, wars, religions, or governments. Sneaky us. I hadnt even noticed, but then I was busy pouring my curves into clothing men would approve of and make me seem attractive yet unavailable, covering up grey hairs and paying VAT so I can menstruate. Me and my privilege. Anyway, men have started a campaign for some long-overdue recognition. Its called International Mens Day and it happens every November 19. Now, I know there may be some among the sisterhood whod complain theyve already got the other 364 days a year. And theyd have a point. But we dont have a perfect world, as all the above has shown. And we must start somewhere. There can be no harm in recognising dads are just as useful as mums, that gender-specific diseases like prostate cancer need to be stopped, that men too can be victims of domestic violence and rape. No-one sane can possibly have a problem praising the value of someone being a generally good bloke whether its to his mum, his partner, his children, or the world at large. It would be mean of us to say the chaps behind this movement must have never been outdoors if they claim there is irrefutable research that mothers typically are nurturing, soft, gentle while fathers are playful and challenging. It would be unkind to point out their statement that men make sacrifices every day in their place of work for their families, friends, communities and nation applies just as easily to women. And it would be cruel of us to mock them just because the best person they could think of as a positive role model is rapper-turned-pastor MC Hammer . No, women, we are above all that. We can see the bigger picture, and we can and should support International Mens Day in every way that we can. We should support anything which might, one day, lead men who father children and shirk responsibility to shoulder half the moral and financial burden of their own behaviour. We should throw ourselves behind a day that might prompt men into speaking out about rape, and perhaps taking a day off from it. If it grows and is a success then maybe in the future International Mens Day will be the one day a year when males campaign against sex trafficking, slut-shaming, domestic abuse and religious persecution, as well as their prostates, educational attainment and car insurance premiums. Perhaps one or two of them might even urge others not to monster every woman over 30 with a wrinkle while expecting them to have the bikini body of a bulimic 12-year-old and the sexual skills of a wizened courtesan. Think of that one day when men urge one another to be better than they are, and insist that every person is treated equally regardless of their gender. Wouldnt it be lovely? One day when all men talk to their children, refrain from telling anyone to cover their face or hair, and chant I must not use the pronoun the when talking about my missus. So, men, knock yourselves out. Have your day, do your best, overcome what you can. Ill cheer you on, in fact Ill even make you a packed lunch and help you with your placards. While youre off dealing with that, we women will just get on with everything else. Dont hurry back. FROM AROUND THE WEB: Russian Is Surprise Winner in Womens Figure Skating (The New York Times) 11 Stars Who Have Hit Rock Bottom (Celebrity Dirt) Kaspersky Says Banking Apps on Android Phones are Most (Reuters) Best GIF Ever: The Queen Pulls Down Kate Middleton's Skirt (ELLE) Recommended by 54 comments Commenting with your Facebook identity. House Rules Post reply Sort: Newest Oldest Most Popular Most Active Report Abuse 2 Andrew Hobson 11:14 AM on 10/1/2014 I have FINALLY received a response from the Press Complaints Commission (reproduced below). As you will see, men are a legitimate target for this sort of attack. I can feel sick in the back of my throat. Clause 12 (Discrimination) states that "the press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual's race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability". The Commission made clear that Clause 12 protects individuals from discrimination; it does not cover references to groups or categories of people. The complainants' concerns did not appear to relate to discrimination against an individual but to men in general. As such, there was no breach of the Code. The Commission acknowledged that the complainant had found the article offensive; however, it made clear that the terms of the Editors' Code of Practice do not address issues of taste and offence. The Code is designed to address the potentially competing rights of freedom of expression and other rights of individuals, such as privacy. Newspapers and magazines have editorial freedom to publish what they consider to be appropriate provided that the rights of individuals enshrined in the terms of the Code which specifically defines and protects these rights are not compromised. Report Abuse 10 Henry Rhymezy Maxwell 6:44 AM on 31/12/2013 What i don't understand is how on earth this was published. This is exactly why i can't even if my life depended on it, take feminists seriously. The hatred in this article is insanely mind boggling. Just unfathomable. Report Abuse 16 Ken Fixations 12:11 PM on 9/12/2013 You are an idiot, a complete unadulterated idiot. Your article is vile, unpleasant and poorly researched...hang your head in shame (if you have any). Report Abuse 25 Wurm Swurk 5:40 PM on 27/11/2013 (women laughing about a man having his penis chopped off after filing for divorce) youtube.com/watch?v=nrvDhSB7GHk (women laughing about male birth control pills being developed) youtube.com/watch?v=CQCvXRJPHSA (some women lie about pregnancy to trap men in relationships) youtube.com/watch?v=pzdDhp1rlv0 (some women file false rape allegations) youtube.com/watch?v=Ctec4wwMD6c positive male role models i can think of along with some quotes. "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." - Albert Einstein "Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings." - Salvador Dali "The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but by setting our aim too low and achieving our mark." - Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni "Matter flows from place to place, and momentarily comes together to be you. some people find that thought disturbing; i find the reality thrilling." - Richard Dawkins Report Abuse 4 Felipe Lopes Zem 3:17 PM on 27/11/2013 Do you need a hug or something to calm your feels? You seem to just have written a lot of [WORD REMOVED] here due to your exaltation. Report Abuse 14 Simon Björkman 10:56 AM on 27/11/2013 This is the most generalizing one sided article I have ever read on the subject of gender equality. Both women and men have struggled alongside each other for thousands of years. Both sexes do face problems and expectations specific for their gender. This biological restraint should and will probably go. No one if all suffered where oppressed. Life is easier nowadays and the gender roles can be loosened up.Women can be free, men can bee free, but to get there one has to work on ALL the issues we still face, for BOTH sexes. How do we cooperate towards a common goal of equality if we refuse to see each other? It is not that women do not care for men, it is not that men do not care for women, it is persons like you who spew out this vitriol who should be ashamed. "Now, I know there may be some among the sisterhood who'd complain they've already got the other 364 days a year. And they'd have a point." One could just as easily say: "Now, I know there may be some among the brotherhood who'd complain they've already got the other 364 days a year. And they'd have a point." But I will not do that because it is counterproductive. We will not reach true equality that way. How are we going to create a worthy future if we do not consider the injustices of both women and men? We live together both women and men 365 days a year, I believe there is clear evidence for that. It is to be found outside the feminist dogma. Report Abuse 16 Wurm Swurk 9:15 PM on 26/11/2013 hello it's me again i'm back to rant somewhat! In the U.S officials are puzzled as to why hospitals hire more male doctors than female doctors, Feminists claim sexism, TEH PATRIARCHY!, oppression [insert unresearched excuse here] and so forth. here's an interesting excerpt from a book called TORN by Dr. Karen Sibert "Today increasing numbers of doctors mostly women decide to work part time or leave the profession. Since 2005 the part-time physician workforce has expanded by 62 percent, according to recent survey data from the American Medical Group Association, with nearly 4 in 10 female doctors between the ages of 35 and 44 reporting in 2010 that they worked part time. This may seem like a personal decision, but it has serious consequences for patients and the public." similar things have been said as to why only 20% of scientists are female. now lets talk about men's day and why you're so appalled by it. in the 1700's men from all walks of life gathered at a coffee shop in London, they had fun, enjoyed being away from their wives and generally just talked about guy stuff (mostly involving their jobs and hobbies if they had any at that point in history) their wives hated this and petitioned the king to shut down the coffee shop (oooo how nefarious of those men! how dare they get together! ) i assume you have this trait as does your sisterhood. in studies Women side with women 4/4 where as men side with women 3/4 (most likely for the chance to breed) men don't have such bias towards themselves it would seem. Testosterone gives men more physical strength, confidence and increased stamina but... "when a man reflexively rescues a woman or puts out of fire, he generates testosterone, but that generation of testosterone upon an emergency calling weakens our immune system. It increases our adrenaline to do that, our epinephrine. But that makes us vulnerable to blood clotting and therefore to heart failure" - Dr. Warren Farrell aggression in males is due to dysfunctional Monoamine Oxidase A/MAO-A Gene/Warrior Gene. "Low MAO-A activity in combination with abuse experienced during childhood results in an increased risk of aggressive behaviour as an adult. High testosterone, maternal tobacco smoking during pregnancy, poor material living standards, dropping out of school, and low IQ can also trigger violent behavior in men with the low-activity alleles (which are overwhelmingly the 3R allele)" I am personally shocked but happy there's a men's day, men are internally programmed to please women and never think about themselves. also im somewhat worried as to how men have overwritten this programming (through divorce settlements? suffering domestic violence in relationships? through misandry in the media including this article?) if we're to focus on women i'd pick lesbians after reading this pandys.org/articles/lesbiandomesticviolence.html how they're left to suffer in silence is beyond my comprehension. i know it's late but HAPPY MENS DAY GUYS!
I sense a lot of sarcasm in the article. Was it written by a man or a woman though? I read it with both perspectives in mind and still can't pin down which gender wrote it.
The article was written by a woman, but the gender of the author does no matter. What matters is it was written by a feminist, and feminists can be either women or men.
It would be nice if both sides could see the grievances that have been put forth against both men and women and come to an understanding or even come together to help build a better world for both. If we could just see that we need one another to battle the injustices both men and women face in society and learn to treat each other fairly...Ah, but that's the idealist coming out of me...
That's great but unfortunately at best feminists only care when a percieved inequality effects women and most often feminists look at inequalities effecting men as victories such as the achievment gap in education favoring women and at it's very worst feminism is a supremacist hate movement. I'm an egalitarean. I believe inequalities are wrong when those inequalities are a result of discrimination regardless of ones gender and race.
