In chapters 12 and 13 of Feminism is for Everybody, bell hooks challenges the system of patriarchal privilege. In chapter 12, she suggests that most men do not want to be oppressive and yet because of the way they have been socialized they see no other choice for themselves if they want to be understood as “real men”. In chapter 13 she says “Future feminist studies will document all the ways anti-sexist male parenting enhances the lives of children” (78).
Rebecca Solnit “delineates three big blurry categories” in relation to how men perceive and act toward feminism “There are the allies…the raging misogynists (87) and “then there are a slew of men who may mean well, but enter the conversation about feminism with factually challenged assertions that someone – usually in my experience a woman — will spend a lot of time trying to rectify” (88).
Both authors, and the speakers in the videos we watch this week, are concerned with the impacts of misogyny on future generations and on the planet where we live. So, in truth, all of us need to be concerned with how all men and individual men relate to the liberation of all women and individual women.
Respond to the prompt by quoting BOTH authors and at least one of the speakers from one of the videos.
PROMPT:
Consider how can men can participate in parenting in ways that help overcome sexism in our society and on our planet. Be sure to quote both authors and one of the speakers from one of the videos, but also give at least one specific example of what “feminist masculinity” might look like in relationship to parenting.