[TW for the comments to this post; discussions of rape and abuse.]
The Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization devoted to tracking and exposing hate groups, has just published a detailed report on the misogyny and violent rhetoric so pervasive in the Men’s Rights Movement — as well as the actual violence inspired by this sort of hatred of women. It’s a piece you all should read, even though few of the details will be new to long-time readers of this blog.
Arthur Goldwag, an expert on conspiracy-mongers and the far right, argues (I think correctly) that the Men’s Rights movement is largely a backlash against the many successes of feminism over the last several decades:
It’s not much of a surprise that significant numbers of men in Western societies feel threatened by dramatic changes in their roles and that of the family in recent decades. Similar backlashes, after all, came in response to the civil rights movement, the gay rights movement, and other major societal revolutions. What is something of a shock is the verbal and physical violence of that reaction.
[Thomas] Ball’s suicide brought attention to an underworld of misogynists, woman-haters whose fury goes well beyond criticism of the family court system, domestic violence laws, and false rape accusations.
The Men’s Rights Movement, as it exists today, is not a civil rights movement; it is a regressive, hateful reaction against a civil rights movement — that is, feminism.
Those who truly care about the rights of men, and who are not motivated by a hatred of women or feminism, need to repudiate the hate and the violent rhetoric of the Men’s Rights Movement as it exists today. Only then can there be a Men’s Rights Movement worthy of the name.
EDITED TO ADD: The SPLC has also put up a guide to some of the more hateful sites in the manosphere. Longtime readers will be familiar with most of them.
EDITED TO ADD AGAIN: And a piece debunking some Men’s Rights Myths.
EDITED TO ADD AGAIN, AGAIN: The discussion of the SPLC report on the Men’s Rights Subreddit is surprisingly reasonable, so far. (I mean, compared to what I expected. Meanwhile, over in this thread, the Men’s Rightsers are behaving as they usually do.)
Worth it? Doubting that. He’s gone kind of fanboy on you, breathlessly recounting (falsely) how Roberta totally pwned you in a comment string.
Seriously, there’s a pattern of trolling here:
1) See post about MRA bullshit
2) Come in to defend it/attack this community (Skip to step 4 if established troll)
3) Try to be “reasonable”, then pull some stupid shit
4) Go all “YOU’RE ALL CRUEL rargearglebargle” and make a personal attack on one’s identity/past/activity etc..
5) Gets banned/moderated, while everyone else feels a range from amused to horrified
6) Find somewhere else to troll and/or go highfive elsewhere with your stupid MRA buds
…ok, maybe this is an oversimplification, but still.
yeah, why would you deliberately start an argument with toysoldier. he’s just gonna respond with an impenetrable maze of loosely connected verbiage.
Trying to engage with Toy Soldier just makes me think of the old saying about wrestling with pigs. Roberta too, actually.
In general, I don’t think you should respond on MBZ prime to people specifically attacking you, like IR/FF. If you posted about them and then they posted about you in reply, I’d say replying to that makes sense, but let people like Toysoldier stew in their own lack of comments and think about how pathetic it is that they’re wanking about a blog mocking a movement that is itself virtually nonexistent.
David, did you comment on that post? It’s showing 0 comments.
Wasn’t TS saying that manboobzer were bullying/ignoring male rape victims, the last time he was around? I don’t remeber the exact accusation, but it was something like that.
Once again, we have a demenstration of what MRAs stand for: it doesn’t matter how many men get hurt or insulted, as long as you hurt and insult feminists more.
Kyrie: TS might mean me – I told him that his past behavior didn’t excuse him from polite behavior, then repeatedly called him an asshat for… well, for being an asshat. And for confusing his aunt’s excuses for abuse with feminism.
Has anyone read that book ‘Equality With a Vengeance: Men’s Rights Groups, Battered Women, and Antifeminist Backlash’, that was mentioned in the link? Is it any good?
Oh that pisses me the fuck off. Toysoldier, who’s supposed to take male victims’ side, thinks it’s just hilarious and fitting that Roberta dismissed LBT’s rape and joked about my boyfriend getting raped.
WAY TO CARE ABOUT THE MEN, DUDE.
Crumbelievable : here’s a review:
http://angelzfury.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/equality-with-a-vengeance-mens-rights-groups-battered-women-and-antifeminist-backlash/
Author’s CV: http://www.mollydragiewicz.com/Dragiewicz_UOIT_CV.pdf
No, responding to TS is pointless. He is one of the few to, basically, stick the flounce. He’s obviously still reading, but (for whatever reason) we aren’t being stuck with the tedium of handing his ass to him (yet again).
It’s a lot easier to ignore him while’s staying away.
TS is one of the few people I am sure are lying about aspects of his abuse. It is way to convenient a narrative for an antifeminist. He could have been abused, but I doubt his abuser actually specifically identified as a feminist.
Also, like most MRAs TS has yet to care about or help actual victims of abuse or rape.
Bostonian: I’d be careful about calling people who say they are victims of rape for lying. I thought that was something the commentariat here was said to never do.
I suspect you don’t know TS in real life and I find it a bit rich to posit as a fact that he don’t care about or help actual victims of abuse or rape.
yeah, i thought that was a little bit over the line
on the other hand, this is horseshit. it’s toysoldier. sophistry and ham-fisted accusations are the only things he knows how to do.
Sharculese: A little bit? Is it just a little bit over the line to accuse any rape victim of lying about their rape? Or is TS a special case?
well obviously toysoldier is a very special case. seeing as he’s completely bugfuck and all.
but yeah, good on you for demanding i explain a particular rhetorical flourish i used. that is definitely the sign of someone who is arguing in good faith and should be taken seriously.
(since youre a painful literalist and all i guess i should explain that that last bit was sarcasm)
@Crumb
I just ordered it from Amazon. Will let you know when I get done with it
Well, pardon me for thinking that telling someone that they lie about their rape is more than a little bit over the line.
Tamen, we know you’re not here in good faith and just concern trolling right now. Can the faux indignant routine.
TS is happy to accuse all other rape victims of lying.
He does so repeatedly.
He is currently mocking a rape victim on his site.
He lies about verifiable things, repeatedly.
So, not a whole lot of respect for a liar who mocks other people’s pain whenever he can.
Also, I did not dispute his abuse story.
So, Tamen, call 1-800-BITEME.
Lines are open now.
Funny that Tamen didn’t show up until there was a mention of TS.
and pardon me for think that this sort of high dudgeon about an innocent rhetorical flourish indicates your not arguing in good faith*
*(seriously, you’ve been caught out. stop whining about it)
toysoldier is way too bugfuck for sockpuppeting. this is another person who just happens to fall for toysoldier’s shtick.