It’s hard to parody Men’s Rights Activists, because no matter how ridiculous your parody is, there’s a good chance that some MRA out there has already said, or written, or sung, something even more ridiculous already.
Not that long ago, a bunch of Man Boobz regulars set out to parody the bizarre, and often inadvertently surrealistic, posters that have been popping up on MRA sites like A Voice for Men and Artistry Against Misandry. It was hard, but I think some of us managed to come up with posters that were even uglier and less coherent than the originals. I especially liked these two, from (respectively) Cliff Pervocracy and Sir Bodsworth Rugglesby III.
But alas, we have been outmaneuvered by the all-too-serious poster-makers on A Voice for Men, who have managed to produce posters that make even less sense than our silliest parodies. Take a look at this one, which I believe is the work of an Australian MRA by the name of Roger O. Thornhill.
I mean, really. How can we compete with that?
This is an actual poster that some MRAs think will actually win people over to their cause. How, I’m not exactly sure. What exactly about a cupcake with a tiara is supposed to scream “men’s rights” to random pedestrians who might catch a glimpse of this poster wheatpasted to a hoarding while on their way to work?
For more of Roger’s fine work, see here and here.
Man Boobzers, can you do better?
Or, if you’re not up to that Herculean task, could you at least try to explain just what exactly you think Mr. Thornhill was trying to say with that poster of his?
EDITED TO ADD: I have been asked to contribute a poster myself. So here one is. You can find many more hilarious and incredibly ugly posters at ArtistryForFeminismAndKittens and, of course, in the comments below!
Thanks, peeps. The antibiotics are starting to kick in, and the swelling should start to go down. I’m very thankful for dental insurance right about now.
I don’t think this is necessarily the study you meant, but this paper does mention that “Several studies revealed that respondents have a fear of side-effects. Brooks [12] found that 70% of respondents would not tolerate any side-effects, although their attitudes towards an effective male contraceptive were positive. Similar findings were reported by Weston et al. [13]”
The whole article is here. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12610-012-0185-4
And before you dismiss the article as “feminist claptrap” you should note that right in the beginning the writers mention that that’s not really the angle they’re going for.
So these aren’t assumptions Amused just pulled out of her ass, these are research findings that are out there and pretty damn easy to find via teh Googlez.
Not that your argument makes any sense whatsoever, since it really isn’t feminists who are barring a male pill from creation, it’s pharmaceutical companies that won’t pay to make the drugs when there are studies like these out there implying that it might not be as big a money maker as female BC (which, by the way, the side effects of that really aren’t fun either, but tons of women accept them). I’m all for a male contraceptive that’s more reliable than condoms, less permanent than vasectomy, and less invasive than a genital injection, but I’m also all for a reliable female contraceptive that doesn’t require insertion in the uterus, a pill you must take every day at the same time without fail which might make you gain weight, increase your risk for cancer or stroke, or potentially mess with your moods. The problem is, that doesn’t exist yet, so I weighed the risks and am saving up for one where at least I don’t have to worry about missing a pill and getting pregnant or have something inserted into my uterus (spoiler alert, I’d like the implant). In the meantime, I’ll deal with what I can afford, which is the pill. Eventually with enough pushing, hopefully pharma companies will try to make contraceptives better, less side-effects, more convenience, higher success rate (lower failure rate?) but we just aren’t there yet.
So to get your dream medicine and the lifestyle you want, you can do a few things:
1) Weigh the options you have now and make your decision accordingly
2) Push for big pharma to make the medicine you want. Companies don’t create jobs, consumers do. If there’s a need, someone out there will try to cater to it
3) Challenge attitudes within the target market (men) that might discourage pharma companies from producing the drug because they think it might not provide enough of a profit
Of course, that would involve acting like a grown up, analyzing your assumptions, real activism, and not blaming feminists for things that aren’t their fault.
Get you Kittehs!
@Ostara, I have the implant. It’s fucking awesome, I hope you can get one soon.
Ack, second part of that was not directed at Amused! Sorry!
Nat, thanks! As much as I now appreciate being on the monthly pill packs because there’s the monthly “you aren’t pregnant for sure” week I get, the worry over possibly being pregnant because I’m an hour off on the pill is starting to get to be too much. I was a day late starting last month and literally could not sleep that entire night. I’m very lucky to have a very supportive beau who knows my fears of motherhood (particularly the pregnancy part of it!) and is very good about being vigilant with me (condoms if I’m an hour or more off that day, which isn’t often, but still) and has made it clear he’d stand by no matter what (which makes the fear somewhat less hyperventilation worthy) but yeah, I’d like my higher risk of stroke and cancer and weight gain to at least come with a side of “do not have to worry about dosage for another three years”.
Hmm. I suggested that driversuz’s “You’re Not Good Enough for my Son” screed might be fiction and she/he didn’t address me directly. I wonder what that means?
I totally understand all of that Ostara! I’m enjoying the implant much more because I’m one of the people who’s periods just completely stop for at least 18 months after it’s put in, and goddammit I hate them.
My sister used to do the don’t-stop-taking-the-pill thing to avoid periods. IIRC there were two opinions from doctors on that – one, that it’s a bad idea (never sure why that was), the other, that there’s no reason to have periods if you’re on it.
Can I just confess that I am absurdly proud of the frosting on my Hitler cupcake? (I fear these words may be quote-mined and used against me at some later date, but you gotta take some risks in life.)
But it is wonderful frosting! You should be proud!
Shiraz, I agree with you. There is something not quite right about that blog post (and the whole blog). Maybe it’s the way suz writes about women as if they’re the other.
Are you kidding!? The side effects are awesome. I have no sex drive whatsoever when I’m using my birth control. It’s super convenient. I have so much more time to diddle around on the internet.
Yeah, suz’s blog post is full of shit. She doesn’t know what her son is studying (because no hovering), yet she knows what he and his friends think about women? I call bullshit.
“I am … Hitler cupcake[.]” -cloudiah, known feminist and Nazi cupcake.
Of course if someone does see him, it’s extra awkward.
Katz – LOL but if I caught sight of a) their expression and b) his expression it would totally be worth it!
I could have sworn there was something on failsuz’s blog about her son being an imaginary future, but I couldn’t find it, so whatever. It is entertaining to watch suz wave her misogynist little letter around like a club: she is very impressed with its unexpected popularity. Her incredulity that any woman would not melt in her son’s general direction is pretty funny, too—along with being creepily objectifying of her son. Somehow you’d think the MRM would have a problem with that, but hey, it’s about yelling at women so it’s good.
Perusing suz’s blog, I also saw her heap praise on this piece of creepy garbage from our ‘friend’ Judgybitch:
http://judgybitch.com/2012/11/04/six-steps-to-raising-a-son-in-a-feminist-world/
the tl;dr is that it’s a stream of quasi-good advice interlaced with sexism and creepyness.
Examples:
“But the MRM is about real equality, not the subordination of women!”
Gross. And she wonders why a woman wouldn’t want her as a mother-in-law.
Tulgey, oh ick on that advice. More ick from SRS about quickmemes.
I maked a poster also! with the help of some text borrowed from JohnTheOther.
http://manboobz.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/poreproduced2.jpg
http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg595/capnben1/gendercube.jpg
I’ve really been loving everyone’s posters, even Steele’s who I see has decided to join us in mocking the MRA. Hope for you yet my lad!
“Don’t ever think your home is your home. You’re just the barely-tolerated domestic help. Your tastes don’t count. Do assume all men are into cars, sports, trains, porn, blah blah blah. Oh, and don’t dare suggest there might be something skeevy about him watching porn with your son.”
Yaaaaaaaaaaaay David is one of us! Bodsworth, lovely job by you too!
Throw pillows are additional padding for the buttocks. I cannot see why men would not appreciate this. Or women. Or anyone who gets internally stabbed by their own arsebones.
Ouch!
It’s not fun. 🙁