“Pregnancy is No Excuse For Misandry” and other pithy, baffling slogans from the Men’s Rights propaganda squad
A real Mens Rights poster from deviantART
Pity the poor Men’s Rights activists. The real civil rights movements that MRAs like to compare their, er, “struggle” to may have faced many obstacles that MRAs haven’t — from legal prohibitions on voting to fire bombings and assassinations — but at least they haven’t had a hard time explaining just what it was, and is, that they’re seeking redress for.
When Martin Luther King so famously dreamt of a world in which “my four little children will … not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character” he was not only speaking eloquently; he was expressing an idea that was, well, pretty easy to understand.
And that’s where the trouble comes for the MRAs. It’s a bit harder to explain your alleged anti-oppression movement to the general public when the people on whose behalf you’re fighting aren’t actually, you know, oppressed. So is it any wonder that MRAs have such a hard time explaining themselves to the public?
I mean, all the Suffragettes had to put on their posters was “Votes for Women.” MRAs are stuck. Men already have votes. They already have civil rights. Heck, men already run most companies and hold most political offices and control most of the world’s wealth.
And so MRA propaganda tends to be muddled, a weird mixture of misogyny and special pleading and stuff that just doesn’t make any sort of sense no matter how you slice it. In earlier posts we’ve looked at baffling and/or offensive posters from A Voice for Men and associated sites, as well as at some of the awful graphics that sometimes make their appearance on Reddit.
Today, a quick stroll through the MRA underground on deviantART.
The graphic at the top of the post is from someone calling himself awesomeninja; for his propaganda work, he specializes in somewhat baffling text-based graphics in basic colors. Apparently he has convinced himself that “feminazis use child-bearing all the time to defend their sexist views,” and feels it is necessary to respond to this in giant letters in several colors with a black background.
He is also responsible for this similarly befuddling contribution to political art:
Wait, is this a trick question?
Dude, have you actually met any Men’s Rights Activists?
Oh, wait, you are one. Oops.
But wait, there’s more:
Of course, awesomeninja isn’t the only one spreading the MRA message of love on deviantART. Here are a few other graphics I found by searching for “men’s rights” and related tags on the site.
This lovely “stamp” from loqutor, who has convinced himself he is “debunking an ages-old feminist myth” with it.
A meme from Userbruiser, who apparently thinks that if a woman has alcohol in her system, it’s ok to rape her:
This bizarre castration fantasy from the same lovely fellow:
This rant posted by themodsquad, who also enjoys jokes about pedophilia and bestiality.
There’s some question about whether or not themodsquad came up with that all by himself, but this uglier and worse-written sequel seems pretty authentic to me:
Is he a “real” MRA or just a troll? I don’t know, but he does seem to be an authentic misogynistic asshole attention-seeker, and I’ve seen virtually every “argument” in the first graphic rehashed many times on assorted MRA sites; it’s pretty much standard-issue “we hunted the mammoth to feed you.”
Let’s close with several graphics from an aspiring Man Going His Own Way. millenia89 is proud of his own reproductive organs:
But he doesn’t seem to think too highly of most of his fellow male-identified penis-havers. Indeed, he believes most of his fellow men are like lemmings marching off a cliff — except for a tiny percentage of MGTOW like the two tiny fellows at the bottom right of the graphic below.
I know it seems confusing, but trust me, the MGTOW in this picture aren’t the ones going over the cliff, really. They’re the ones facing the other direction, underneath that little MGTOW sign. No, not under the big MGTOW sign, under the little one. Just trust me on this one.
millenia89 is especially unimpressed with men who step in to “save a hoe,” like this fellow, whom he sees as a handy “personification” of the sort of “manipulated tool” who, I guess, apparently likes women enough to help them out. I’m not quite sure I get it. Apparently this picture is inherently hilarious because it’s a picture of a black guy with an odd smile in a weirdly inaccurate superman costume. Heck, even the font is wacky.
Millenia89 may not think much of most of his fellow men, but at least he doesn’t want to render them obsolete. Women, well, that’s another issue entirely, as this utopian paean to the glories of artificial wombs suggests:
So awesomeninja thinks that “pregnancy is no excuse for misandry.” Millenia89 evidently hopes that in the future there will be no excuse for pregnancy itself.
This is how the Men’s Rights movement tries to explain itself to the world.
And MRAs wonder why their little movement has the reputation it does.
–
I was inspired to check out deviantART’s MRA community by some of the commenters here. Check out the comments in the “Feminist anti-obedience school” thread starting here to see some homegrown parodies of awesomeninja’s graphic works.
Posted on September 24, 2013, in a voice for men, all about the menz, antifeminism, are these guys 12 years old?, artistry, crackpottery, drama kings, entitled babies, evil women, grandiosity, gross incompetence, hypocrisy, imaginary oppression, mansplaining, men invented everything, men who should not ever be with women ever, MGTOW, misogyny, MRA, oppressed white men, pedophiles oh sorry ephebophiles, penises, playing the victim, racism, rape, rape culture, straw feminists, the c-word, we hunted the mammoth and tagged antifeminism, men's rights, mgtow, misogyny, MRA, racism, rape culture. Bookmark the permalink. 705 Comments.
@Good
Oh joy! I can add a check on the “Heads I win, Tails you lose” bingo square. Listen, here’s the point and I shall try to be nice with this. We were responding to a post which said that women do not EVER have authority or contributions with examples of those who made it past the sexist gatekeepers of their times. This doesn’t mean that female half of the human race hasn’t been systematically denied basic human rights for the majority of history.
On Catherine in specific, she’s a complex figure to be sure. Read about her husband before she became the Empress and then try and say that there’s no such thing as a patriarchy.
“You fundamentally don’t understand the point. I was speaking of me. When I make a point, even if I provide the coveted citations, the responses from posters here are 90% personal attacks and insults (fueled by internet anonymity) directed at me and my points are rarely addressed.”
You say dumb things. We point this out. That’s not some personal attack.
Your points are addressed and refuted. You just ignore it.
Shit, read about the machinations behind getting her on the throne and the disgusting rumors that were spread about her and say there is no such thing as a patriarchy. People still think she died fucking a horse.
Good, is your real name Good? Then don’t whine about anonymity.
@carswell
Or arawelo. She was pretty awesome, too, imo :D
@titanblue
Yup.
In other news, good fails readiing comprehesion! for.ev.er!
@hynea girl
i am not sure if this is a reference to something but I love it :D Have an internet.
@sparky
It’s the small details that get to a person XD
@Chie Satonaka
Thank you!
Also, seriously, if I lacked logical reasoning skills, why am I doing a major in STEM?
And also, you might as well explain to me how a good number of my friends in high school asked me for help in history courses, mathematics, and college applications.
And then you still have to explain Grace Hopper, first compiler, remember? Without the compiler, programs as we know it would not exist. We needed it to translate code into binary so that a computer could run it.
Also, xkcd did a comic introducing two other science women who made huge contributions, although these women are unknown and often not recognized as contributors to modern day science.
Good, what is your point? You’ve basically already admitted that the MRM has baseless arguments.
I love that XKCD comic. I already knew about Meitner, her story is pretty amazing and sad, but Noether was new to me when I first saw that strip.
Alice, you slutted your way to the top and used men’s child support to pay for college. Silly girl.
“Good, is your real name Good? Then don’t whine about anonymity.”
Whether it is or not, your point doesn’t apply to me since I don’t toss out personal insults.
Marie: The devil is always in the details. :)
Then stop tossing out stupid.
“Whether it is or not, your point doesn’t apply to me since I don’t toss out personal insults.”
Who insulted you personally?
@alice
zombie marie curie in xkcd. :D I am ridiculously happy.
Noadi – I never knew that these women existed before I read that comic. We were never taught about their contributions to science. But I love xkcd. I get the feeling that the webcomic’s author is a feminist, or at least someone with feminist ideas, even if he doesn’t claim to be such.
This xkcd comic expresses the misogyny that’s been inherent in STEM , as well as in other fields. If a man does something, this is his own accomplishment, and all of his mistakes reflect on himself. He is a separate individual. By contrast, if a woman achieves something, it’s presumed that she only did it because some dudes helped her, and if she screws up, it’s a reflection on how all women are inferior. She is never her own person, but a part of a group, whether she represents all women when she makes mistakes or the female face behind a group of uncredited men if she achieves.
auggziliary – Oh yeah, huh.
Let me ask this. If men dominate the world, why is that the case when men and women are equal in numbers?
@Marie
@good
I am confuse do you know how to biology?
Good: Then what exactly are arguing against here? Are you actually trying to defend these posters? Your first post was: “Feminists have an even more difficult time defending their views. That is why you guys resort to personal attacks and insults.” Which is completely unrelated to the original post. And was nothing but a sweeping and unprovable generalization about feminists. And the commentators have addressed your points. So what exactly are you trying to accomplish?
“I am confuse do you know how to biology?”
No. How do you biology?
Good logic:
If men rule the world, how come they haven’t KILLED enough women that there aren’t very many left?
Checkmate, feminists.
@good
let me paraphrase that: I don’t think you know anything about science, or feminism, or human rights, or commons sense. Most species that have male/female/ (others!) have a similar number of males and females. Saying this:
makes no sense, and implies you don’t know anything about science or humans or anything.
Look into the population statistics of South Africa during apartheid and get back to me.
@fade
ew :( that’s not what I was thinking :( cant say for good though.
Begging the question for 500 Alex.
Fade
Men have never desired to kill women and men have always killed more men than women.
@good
please give a citation.
Dude, I’m going off your own words
What the heck am I supposed to think that means?
Good, I was talking about you.
Your arguments have no substance!
Your citations don’t say what you think they say!
Your points are addressed fully and you ignore it!
YOU! ARE! THE! DUNNING! KRUGGER! POSTER! BOY!
@Marie
I think he’s going off the war thing and acting like there are a) no civilian casualties and b) women not having the opportunity to fight in wars was the fault of feminism, not the patriarchy that viewed them as weaker.
@Fade
Weaker and as soldier creation vending machines.
makes no sense, and implies you don’t know anything about science or humans or anything.
You didn’t read correctly. Let me rephrase Men and women are equal in numbers. With this being the case, how did one gender come to so-called “dominate” the other gender when the “dominant” gender has never had an advantage in numbers.?
“If men dominate the world, why is that the case when men and women are equal in numbers?”
Because thousands of years of systematic oppression and discrimination that becomes embedded in the laws, religion, culture and society. That is the short answer. For details and analysis of a particular time period/culture, you can easily find books on that subject in your local library.
@good
….
………….
………………..
look at what sparky said if you want an actual (very brief) explanation, though I advise you to pick up a book. Or several. I’m too busy being befuddled.
Also, respond to what Chie said, kthxbye.
“Good, I was talking about you.
Your arguments have no substance!
Your citations don’t say what you think they say!
Your points are addressed fully and you ignore it!”
Even if you actually believe this, this warrants immature personal insults?
I don’t insult you despite the fact that:
Your arguments have no substance!
Your citations don’t say what you think they say!
Your points are addressed fully and you ignore it!”
Oh yay, Lesser Good is here.
And has been addressed by Howard.
I made a MRA poster.
Oh, snarky boy thinks he’s leading us down the path of “SCIENTIFIC PROOF” that men are naturally superior to women.
@ cloudiah
that is the best poster in the world and I am wonderstruck before it.
Another fantastic work of art by the artist Tulgey discovered.
Because thousands of years of systematic oppression and discrimination that becomes embedded in the laws, religion, culture and society.
How did men manage to accomplish this? Why couldn’t women stop it or do it to men instead? Please answer.
Good’s kinda boring, it’s like he just learned how to imitate the grown ups but doesn’t know what ‘context’ is.
@cloudiah
baffling poster, but I suppose that’s inevitable with mra-posters XD
@good
yeah, cuz women haven’t been trying to stop it…
::headdesk::
god good, you are a fool. A foolish fool.
O my god he’s like a little kid asking why repetitively.
I think you called it, Chie Satonaka.
Good’s kind of boring? There’s a reason he’s called Lesser Good.
GREATER GOOD, WE NEED YOU.
No, actually.
What warrants immature personal insults is when you insinuate that anybody who was oppressed deserves it on some level. FUCK-FACE.
yeah, cuz women haven’t been trying to stop it…
Are you being sarcastic and actually saying that women have been trying to stop it? If so, why have women failed?
If you were being literal, why have women not attempted to stop it?
Y’all know what he’s doing, right?
Good, this is your answer. The world is not and has never been a meritocracy. The rich are not rich because they are “naturally superior” to the poor. Whites are not “naturally superior” to non-whites. And men are not “naturally superior” to women.
You debate in bad faith and that is why you get the responses that you get.
@Good
So then, you’re admitting that male domination of society is a thing and asking how it happened? Or are you just begging the question?
What warrants immature personal insults is when you insinuate that anybody who was oppressed deserves it on some level. FUCK-FACE.
You mad?
At least you admit to you immaturity, yet I have never insinuated anything of the kind.
@good
because sometimes people fail? sheesh. Because fighting against systematic oppression is kind of an uphill battle. Or just read what chie satonaka said. zie* said it way better than me.
*preferred gender pronouns? sorry I don’t know yours :(
I see good is one of those bothersome ‘why can’t we each act polite about FUCKING OPPRESSION’ asshats.
Here’s a clue good: go hug a cactus, you insufferable prick.
So then, you’re admitting that male domination of society is a thing and asking how it happened? Or are you just begging the question?
I’m playing the devil’s advocate and asking you guys to give me the basic reason for the “so called male domination” that you claim to exist. Who elevated men to “dominance”? Was it God? Was it space aliens? Please tell me.
“Good” is trying to prove that MRAs are gross and really, really stupid.
“Good” is succeeding in this endeavor.
Men did it themselves.
Because fighting against systematic oppression is kind of an uphill battle. Or just read what chie satonaka said. zie* said it way better than me.
But what put men in position to “systematically oppress”? Stop dodging the question?
@good
sure, you’re playing devil’s advocate. So you can say a bunch of shit and not be held accountable for it. Go fuck yourself.
Ps: it was men like yourself wanking about how superior they are.
Men did it themselves.
How were men able to do so?
O
my
god
Good you are a fool. I wouldn’t know because I’m not a historian nor an immortal cavewoman who’s seen the beginning of human history. Good gods, you are bothersome.
He’s trying to lead us down a path that ends with us admitting that women are naturally inferior to men, which is why men were able to gain dominance despite existing in equal numbers to women. It’s a bullshit premise. There are many examples of groups that are numerically equal or even larger than the dominant group. The dynamics that cause that minority group to not rise up and seize power are far more complex than his puny little “man good, woman bad” mind could possibly comprehend.
ok, I think fade called it about him being like a little kid asking why, except little kids are 1000x cuter and more bearable than good, even the ones who ask you if you want to play legos every 15 seconds and no that is not an exaggeration.
Good: Try Gerda Lerner’s “The Creation of Patriarchy,” for starters.
And a brief overview of some theories:
@Marie
Maybe you should ask that space alien costume in the comic you’re reading? Twitch or something? It saw the origins of civilization!
LOL. Marie is mad.
Oh fuck no. I will not play the camel fucking game of “Just playing Devil’s advocate” online. That never, ever ends well.
@chie
Yes. qft, or whatever :)
Why do my links disappear?
http://www.sociologyguide.com/gender/patriarchy.php
(Sorry, even while quoting I can’t help the scare quotes.)
It’s because “men’s rights” activism is all about the maintenance of male superiority, which is not what equality means.
Apex fallacy, right? You’re absolutely right! It is a fallacy to assume that failing to reach universal dominance means you’re not privileged – that’s because there are other facts involved, beyond your starting conditions and basic societal biases.
Never? Not a single man has desired the death of a single woman? You might wanna check your data on that one. You might want to check your data on the other claim as well, though I’m not sure as I don’t have those numbers. That said, I do know that non combatants account for a very large number of the dead in most wars, so I suspect it’s less clear than you think.
@good
learn the difference between mad and annoyed.
ps: so what if I was mad? I’m not allowed to be mad if some asshat is implying men are naturally superior to women and therefor deserve to be in charge
pps: I cuss all. the fucking. time. It’s not a mad thing. It’s horrible and unlady like, I know, but I like being that way ;)