Every Friday is Memeday here on We Hunted the Mammoth. Today, we’re taking a look at some terrible antifeminist cartoons. But not just any terrible antifeminist cartoons: terrible antifeminist cartoons done in the style of old-school editorial cartoons. You know, the kind with stuff all labeled and shit.
I ran across the cartoon above on Reddit yesterday, and it’s an excellent example of this particular genre. My only real disappointment is that the artist didn’t take the time to label the five different balls ‘n’ chains set that poor Louis CK — I assume that’s supposed to be him — has attached to his legs and, in a clever twist, to his right arm.
Given the odds against him he seems weirdly cheerful.
UPDATE: As various people have pointed out, this is an MRA-ized version of a cartoon intended to highlight male privilege. I’ve posted the original at the end of this post, along with a translation of the caption helpfully provided by the original artist.
Next up is a cartoon that’s been floating around the manosphere for a while; I found it on the Twitter timeline of Hannah Wallen, one of the Honey Badgers and possibly the strangest “thinker” in the Men’s Rights world. (Well, alongside her fellow Honey Badger Alison Tieman.) I think she is the, er, artist here. I may be wrong, but the bizarro world logic of the cartoon is right up her alley.
This next one comes from her blog; presumably she’s the “artist” here as well.
You kind of have to admire the diligence in labeling almost everything in the cartoon that could possibly be labeled. But why not go all out and label absolutely everything? The pants should be labeled pants; the shirts should be labeled shirts; the shoes should be labeled shoes. (If those lumpy things in the foot area are indeed supposed to be shoes.)
I’m a little puzzled as to the meaning of the cartoon, though. Is is supposed to show that women have a harder time on the job because their weirdo bosses make them stand on boxes?
There are fewer labels in this next cartoon, by a Twitterer called @AntiFemComics, but the effect is just as confusing.
Apparently the evil feminists have tied up some mothers, and are sending them down Feminism River to certain death over Life of Regret Falls. What all that is supposed to mean I couldn’t tell you.
And given that the mothers are already tied up, why did the evil feminists need to take their paddles, too? It’s not like the mothers could do any paddling anyway. Feminists are just mean, I guess.
Let me end with a cartoon I found a couple of years ago. Sure, I’ve posted it here at least once already. But it’s a stone cold classic!
Take that, “Today’s Lace Curtain Dominated Media!” How dare you try to silence ALL MALE OPINIONS by hanging these opinions (which are also a dude) while wearing boxes on your heads! During what appears to be a total eclipse of the sun!
Maybe instead of trying to produce editorial cartoons, MRAs should just stick to what they’re good at. Which is nothing.
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https://twitter.com/Emanu_G/status/688668767694499840
I think the first one is supposed to be Lenin rather than Louis CK. Not that this makes any more sense.
Why do the women beside the waterfall have lobster claws on the end of their right arms? Are they secretly crustaceans?
Imagine the sheer cognitive dissonance required to label “sexual harassment” (false accusations thereof, I presume) as a life obstacle for men, but not for women. Men’s Rights Activists really are the worst.
I also notice that the woman has a few hurdles, but all of the labels are for helpful things. Great job (!)
That first one is just a perversion of an existing cartoon that demonstrates white privilege. I tried the find the original, but a search of ‘male privilege cartoon race’ just brought up a lot more MRA cartoons, and now I seriously regret that this is what I did first thing in the morning.
Because moms can’t be feminists or have short or bright hair.
Of all the ridiculousness, that’s the thing that stood out to me. These manureosphereans have to know they’re ludicrous. Surely, no one could think that mess makes rational sense.
I’m joking. I know they think they’re super geniuses. Still, it boggles my mind.
@Valerie
I found a Facebook post with the original. The artist’s been named as Emanu Elvis Garnheim, a Swedish illustrator and political cartoonist.
@Terrabeau
Thanks; interesting how the original manages to make a point without labeling anything in the picture.
Love the “male opinions” cartoon. “Halp! I’m being oppressed by a mob that wears brown paper lunch bags as masks!”
Don’t all feminists have lobster claws on their right hands?
I’m suddenly very body conscious. It can’t just be me, right?
Hannah Wallen’s ones remind me of Get Your War on and the other clip art comics by David Rees.
Only you know, not funny.
Oh and:
http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/918/918/651.gif
@ Miss Andry
I’d probably be pretty upset if I was hanged by The Unknown Comic and his relatives, too, I guess.
I’m not too familiar with this website, but do things actually get debunked or was this an artistic critique?
@Tulse, EJ:
Speaking as a feminist / crab person: I’ve always liked my claws, myself.
They’re like Kelly from The Onion, except they suck more.
Aside: this is more for an Open Thread (hint, hint) but I’m in the final stages of the Poe pop-up book restoration project. Touch wood, it’s going well…
Ah yes, the great male hurdle that is paying child support. It’s so hard to be a man and be expected to contribute financially, within your means, to your children’s wellbeing! Unlike women, who… yeah okay, sure, are also expected to contribute financially to their children’s wellbeing, but that’s different. Raising kids is what women are for.
Also, alimony, which is generally awarded only in cases of extreme differences in income. (Where I live, the guideline is one partner as sole income earner for at least 15 years.) Earning more than women is such a burden! Hiring discrimination against women who re-enter the workforce after a long absence only exists to force you to pay your ex a paltry sum so she doesn’t starve. ;_;
It’s hilarious that divorce law is on there too. Child support, alimony, AND divorce law that leads to child support and alimony? The worst.
I’m pretty sure I just read the word “fraud” enough times that it’s stopped looking like a real word.
He should have put divorce fraud on there. You know, to cover all the bases.
The puppet one is the one that makes me wtf the most. I can at least tell what the others mean, but… feminists are using academic fraud to make The Patriarchy commit police violence?
And when you’re clearly willing to use labels to get your point across, old-fashioned-political-cartoon-style, why would you think the marionette control stick thing needed half a dozen labels, but then think the ambiguously-uniformed throat-stepper’s victim goes without explanation?
@Nequam
A Poe pop-up book? That sounds really cool. What stories are you doing?
Does that first cartoon constitute plagiarism given the original that Terrabeau posted? Originality = misandry?
That poor man. All he did was tell a woman to tie his shoes.
“Female, come tie my shoes. Then you should make me a sandwich” are some sad last words. But they aren’t really worth an instantaneous hanging. Bad, evil feminist paper bag mafia lynchmob! BAD LYNCHMOB! BAD! He should have been flogged first.
By the way, there’s something off about those Honeybadger cartoons (besides the awful design). It’s like the shapes of the people are right, but the cartoonist left out shading or details. I’m beginning to suspect they just traced over some stock photos and added axes and knives and labels.
I don’t know why that makes it worse for me, but it just does.
Looking at it again, I question if either of them have done a safe lifting course. The man is holding a large load away from his centre of gravity, while the woman is lifting with her back, and isn’t keeping her legs on an even level.
Swiss Army Knife of women’s workplace hazards!
Swiss Guard Halberd of men’s workplace hazards!
Which one will win the battle and live to collect the Zero Sum Award? Whose blood will splatter the Alpine snow? Stay tuned for the Swiss Gender Gladiators!