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Stepping Out From Behind the Wall: Acknowledging Male Privilege & its connection to violence against women
Tue, 2011-09-06 11:34
#1
Maysie
Stepping Out From Behind the Wall: Acknowledging Male Privilege & its connection to violence against women
Tue, 2011-09-06 11:49
#2
Maysie
Stepping Out From Behind the Wall: Acknowledging Male Privilege & its connection to violence against women. A blog by Black Coffee Poet
The conversations I hear when I'm around certain groups of men are disgusting: sexist, misogynist, and full of phobias.
Anishinaabe Kwe Shannon Simpson, Counselor at First Nations House U of T, says, "Violence is a human rights issue, not a women's issue. Men need to take responsibility. Men need to use male privilege in a positive way. Imagine if white business men started speaking out against violence against women; more people would listen then if a woman of colour said the same thing."
Privilege is unearned power which gives certain groups economic, social and political advantages. In our society white males benefit from this the most but all males benefit from this just by being born. Stoh:lo feminist, activist, and acclaimed writer Lee Maracle defines male privilege as, "A head start, a larger entitlement in the social, economic, and personal arena."
As men we have to ask ourselves:Are women around us safe from smaller forms of dehumanization? (Smaller as in the "little things" mentioned above compared to the big things such as sexual assault listed in my intro.)
Do we interrupt, or talk over, women?
Do we consider what is being said by women before we consider an answer?
Are we comfortable in a room of women? If not, why?
Does challenge from women hurt our ego?
Do we think of men first when thinking of inspirational leaders? If so, why?
Do we as men honour women's knowledge as much as men's knowledge?
When we think of warriors do we think of hyper masculine men?
Do we honour the peacemakers as much as we honour the warriors?
We men have to take action and "speak up" when seeing oppression. We men have to know the issues, be informed, do our research, offer support, recognize our male privilege, and do some self reflection to challenge ourselves and our assumptions. It is an ongoing process with lots of mistakes, challenges, and epiphanies but it's worth it in order to help men, women, people of all genders reach an equal state.
Tue, 2011-09-06 13:44
#3
Catchfire
Thanks Maysie!
Tue, 2011-09-06 14:02
#4
remind
Thank you very much Maysie for posting this.
Tue, 2011-09-06 19:51
#5
I didn't even know that those old gooffy stereotype of men privilege still exist, i haven't ear one of thoses for year!
That guy Simpson seem to have a quite problem of self estime if he need privilege over women.
Tue, 2011-09-06 20:11
#6
I didn't even know that those old gooffy stereotype of men privilege still exist, i haven't ear one of thoses for year! That guy Simpson seem to have a quite problem of self estime if he need privilege over women.
Actually, I believe you're misreading Simpson. He's advocating for men to take a leadership role because he recognizes the reality that men will more readily listen to other men. He's being pragmatic, not sexist.
Tue, 2011-09-06 20:42
#7
I didn't even know that those old gooffy stereotype of men privilege still exist, i haven't ear one of thoses for year! That guy Simpson seem to have a quite problem of self estime if he need privilege over women.
Actually, I believe you're misreading Simpson. He's advocating for men to take a leadership role because he recognizes the reality that men will more readily listen to other men. He's being pragmatic, not sexist.
Ok i admit i missreaded,
I agree with avocating from a pair will help. But don't think that aiming only at white men with privilege is enougth, asking the entire patronal and community. In general what ever the gender or color of the boss, employee listen.
Tue, 2011-09-06 20:56
#8
remind
From the linked blog:
Below is a Male Privilege checklist By B. Deutsch from the Colours of Resistence website (http://colours.mahost.org/org/maleprivilege.html):
1. If I'm a teen or adult, and if I can stay out of prison, my odds of being raped are so low as to be negligible.
2. I am not taught to fear walking alone after dark in average public spaces.
3. Chances are my elected representatives are mostly people of my own sex. The more prestigious and powerful the elected position, the more likely this is to be true.
4. I can be somewhat sure that if I ask to see "the person in charge," I will face a person of my own sex. The higher-up in the organization the person is, the surer I can be.
5. If I'm careless with my driving it won't be attributed to my sex.
6. If I have sex with a lot of people, it won't make me an object of contempt or derision.
7. I can ask for legal protection from violence that happens mostly to men without being seen as a selfish special interest, since that kind of violence is called "crime" and is a general social concern. (Violence that happens mostly to women is usually called "domestic violence" or "acquaintance rape," and is seen as a special interest issue.)
8. Every major religion in the world is led primarily by people of my own sex. Even God, in most major religions, is usually pictured as being male.
9. Magazines, billboard
10. If I am heterosexual, it's incredibly unlikely that I'll ever be beaten up by a spouse or lover.
Mon, 2015-11-30 17:19
#9
ACTO
The article for the COR checlist is now here:
http://www.coloursofresistance.org/729/the-male-privilege-checklistan-un...
(the website domain moved and the oln link is broken)