Men’s rights activists (MRAs) would have you believe that feminism is sexist against men because feminists don’t care about issues that affect men, such as restrictive gender roles, circumcision, sexual violence against men, the military draft, and custody rights.
That always seemed like a strange argument to me because, as a female feminist, I care about these issues quite a lot, and so do all of my feminist friends of all genders.
But of course, that’s circumstantial evidence. So I decided to make this list of articles about men’s issues written by feminists. Most of these aren’t some sort of niche feminists, either–the articles on this list come from well-known outlets like Feministing, Feministe, RH Reality Check, and Alas, A Blog.
(A note: it took me and two friends about fifteen minutes to make this list over two pages long. That should speak for itself.)
I’ve also compiled it into a Google Doc, which you can access here. I will keep updating it!
Hopefully others will find this useful in countering MRAs who claim that feminists just don’t care about men.
- Is it rape if you don’t mean for it to be rape? http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2012/09/19/is-it-rape-if-you-dont-mean-for-it-to-be-rape/ (and the comments thread)
- Trans men ought to be allowed to be involved in breast feeding: http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/09/06/trans-father-rejected-as-leader-breastfeeding-support-and-advocacy-group
- On men’s sheds: http://feministing.com/2011/08/30/mens-sheds-because-blokes-have-feelings-too/
- Sexual assault of men in the military: http://feministing.com/2011/04/07/sexual-assault-of-men-in-the-military/
- Atheist man arrested for blasphemy: http://skepchick.org/2012/09/another-atheist-arrested-sign-this-petition/
- Paving the way for feminist men: http://feministing.com/2010/11/04/paving-the-way-for-feminist-men/
- CNN’s Don Lemon does courageous reporting on male sexual abuse: http://feministing.com/2010/09/27/cnns-don-lemon-does-courageous-reporting-on-male-sexual-abuse/
- Tony Porter on Masculinity: http://feministing.com/2010/12/10/tony-porter-breaks-out-of-the-man-box/
- Man being treated unfairly in justice system after killing his rapist: http://feministing.com/2012/09/17/pa-to-execute-man-who-killed-his-sexual-abuser/
- Talking feminism and masculinities with Tristan Bridges: http://feministing.com/2012/06/28/the-academic-feminist-talking-feminism-and-masculinities-with-tristan-bridges/
- Not Oprah’s Book Club: Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection: http://feministing.com/2011/08/24/not-oprahs-book-club-deep-secrets-boys-friendships-and-the-crisis-of-connection/
- Andrea Grimes on toxic masculinity: http://feministing.com/2011/04/21/quick-hit-andrea-grimes-on-toxic-masculinity/
- “Man Up Now” dietary supplement is bad for men’s health: http://feministing.com/2010/12/15/narrowly-defined-masculinity-is-bad-for-your-health/
- Pervocracy on male victims of assault: http://pervocracy.blogspot.com/2011/01/male-victim.html
- Manliness, relationships, and erections: http://clarissethorn.com/blog/2012/07/23/postsecret-manliness-relationships-and-erections/
- “50 Shades of Grey,” “Fight Club,” and the Complications of Male Dominance: http://clarissethorn.com/blog/2012/04/20/50-shades-of-grey-fight-club-and-the-complications-of-male-dominance/
- Clarisse Thorn on men’s rights: http://clarissethorn.com/blog/2009/10/20/questions-i-want-to-ask-entitled-cis-het-men-part-2-mens-rights/
- Men don’t deserve the word “creep”:http://clarissethorn.com/blog/2011/01/02/men-dont-deserve-the-word-creep/
- Making the cut: circumcision in Africa: http://carnalnation.com/content/58581/1133/making-cut-circumcision-africa
- More Pervocracy on male victims: http://pervocracy.blogspot.com/2011/05/male-victims.html
- Making space for men: http://clarissethorn.com/blog/2009/10/24/questions-i-want-to-ask-entitled-cis-het-men-part-3-space-for-men/
- Redefining masculinity for the HIV/AIDS fight in southern Africa: http://clarissethorn.com/blog/2009/11/22/redefining-masculinity-for-the-hivaids-fight-in-southern-africa/
- Feminist masculinity roundup: http://feministing.com/2009/11/19/feminist-masculinity-round-up/
- Michael Kimmel on Feministing: http://feministing.com/2009/10/17/the-feministing-five-michael-kimmel/
- Feminist fatherhood: http://feministing.com/2009/09/03/feminist-fathering-cool-to-the-max/
- Feminism and male circumcision: http://community.feministing.com/2010/06/04/feminism-and-male-circumcision/
- Why circumcision is a feminist issue: http://ecochildsplay.com/2011/07/07/why-circumcision-is-a-feminist-issue/
- Open thread for male survivors of sexual violence: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2006/12/04/open-thread-for-male-survivors-of-sexual-violence/
- For Obama, if you’re male and near a terrorist, that makes you guilty: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2012/06/05/for-obama-if-youre-male-and-near-a-terrorist-that-makes-you-guilty-so-die/
- FBI’s new definition of rape still excludes envelopment: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2011/10/27/fbi-new-definition-of-rape-still-excludes-envelopment/
- California’s “Alternative Custody Program” Is Sexist Against Men: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2011/09/14/californias-alternative-custody-program-is-sexist-against-men/
- The National Organization for Women’s 40 year old position on the draft:
http://www.now.org/issues/military/policies/war.html and http://www.now.org/issues/military/policies/draft2.html - Alas on father’s rights case: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2010/10/11/supreme-court-to-hear-discrimination-against-fathers-case/
- More Alas, same case http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2010/10/11/where-are-the-mens-and-fathers-rights-groups-in-flores-villar-vs-us/
- On jokes about penis size: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2009/07/06/the-dos-and-donts-of-dick-jokes-or-what-feminist-critics-got-right/
- Police murders of men of color are a feminist issue: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2009/03/04/police-murders-of-men-of-color-are-a-feminist-issue/
- On beauty standards for male models: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2009/05/08/moving-towards-equality-but-in-the-wrong-direction/
