[This post grew from a comment I left on a discussion of female genital mutilation on Feminist Mormon Housewives.]
In her book No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women, Estelle Freedman explores the reasons for and the fight against female gential cutting. Where Western opposition focused on violation of individual rights and the horrible effects on and the victims’ sexual pleasure, local campaigns against FGM situated the practice in the context of the women’s poverty, illiteracy and lack of health education and marriage/divorce rights. Here’s the successful results of the efforts of one women’s organization in Senegal:
The village women participating in the workshops gradually began to question genital cutting. They enlisted their husbands and male religious leaders in the pledge not to cut daughters or have their sons marry women who had the procedure.
I think that we in the West can learn from this African example of overcoming a serious societal gender problem. How about our own unrealistic ideals of youthful feminine beauty, and all of the problems that stem from it?
The above example also illustrates that it is difficult for women to gain social and political equality without the complicity of the men in a male-dominated society. We need more male feminists, pro-feminist men, and even men who are merely friendly to select feminist causes. I SHOULD NOT BE AN ANOMALY! The male feminist should not be an endangered species! Where are all of the men who care? Why are you so silent about the oppression of women?
Some of you lurkers out there, chime in on this one–leave your comments anonymously if you must.
5 responses so far ↓
1 Johnny // Aug 5, 2006 at 7:28 am
One of my favorite feminist theorists is bell hooks. She writes, “Like women, men have been socialized to passively accept sexist ideology. While they need not blame themselves for accepting sexism, they must assume responsibility for eliminating it.” She talks about how older versions of feminism sometimes had an anti-male bias. Unfortunately I think this bias was communicated above many of the other voices in feminist theory. The picture non-feminists often have of feminism is of the most extreme type. I guess I am saying that feminism needs to continue to to have a voice that is inclusive to men. It seems to me that the majority of feminist voices are that way, but that image needs to become publicly associated with feminism before more men will join up.
That being said, i think male involvement in feminism is complicated. Liberation theology tries to emphasize that the oppressed need to become subjects of their own liberation. There have been times when I have been talking to female feminists and I get the sense that they are suspicious of too much male influence in feminism. I think that suspicion is well founded because women need to be the leaders of their own liberation from sexist structures.
2 John // Aug 5, 2006 at 8:35 am
Johnny, thank you for responding! I hope you saw the final version of the post–I was unhappy with how it translated from the original comment, and finished editing it a few moments ago–I think the substance is the same, though.
bell hooks is one of my favorite feminist theorists as well, for the reasons you mentioned. She is someone who helped me switch my image of feminism from the anti-male version often portrayed in the press to my current understanding of feminism as a complex of critiques and movements that focus on gender inequity.
But I agree, the narrow stereotype persists. I have had many conversations with men and women, where, after affirming they are “not a feminist,” will agree with me that sexism persists and they believe in the fundamental social and political equality of men and women.
I struggle with my involvement in feminism. I agree with the need for women-only spaces and female leadership. At the same time, male involvement in the feminist struggle has to be encouraged. It’s a tricky balance, and there’s a lot of controversial territory: how do men and women work together in the struggle against patriarchy? I believe that men need to listen and learn, but at what point can they contribute critically? Is it appropriate to have male-only feminist spaces to deal with issues specific to men?
3 Johnny // Aug 5, 2006 at 6:45 pm
I struggle with my involvement in feminism as well. I think there is a place for male only spaces to deal with feminist issues, but they should be directed toward men and how they can overcome their indoctrination into sexism. As for male involvement with women I think that support is one of the resources we can offer as males. I also think that self-identifying as a male feminist does a lot of work to overcome stereotypes. I often tell people that I “advocate feminism” which starts conversations and leads to greater understanding. I do not really have anything insightful to add except that I am with ya.
4 Rich // Aug 5, 2006 at 10:42 pm
My 3 daughters have all seen me speak up when warranted on feminist issues. I hasten to add that they have also helped shape me along the way!
I should be more active. I spend too much time reading blogs… ;o)
5 Miko // Apr 10, 2007 at 6:26 pm
I whole-heartedly agree. Thinking of the men in my life, there has been a quite a spectrum of feminisms (from anti-feminism to you, John). It is always astonishing to me that women (generally grandmothers) are often the strongest proponants of FGM. Talk about internalized misogyny!
The recent discussion of HIV & MGM (or “regular” circumcision) troubles me. First of all, I’m concerned at how the study compared the sexual activity of the cicumcised with the un-. Since religious beliefs are often behind it (in both cases), that might have a bearing on sexual activity as well. The second, and honestly more concerning, thought I had was, “what if it was FGM and not MGM that was implicated in decreasing HIV infection rates?”
I’m not intending this as a comment-jack, but an honest comment as it applies to support from outside groups. The western WHO is encouraging many poor and uneducated people in non-western countries to undergo a religious-based and mutilating procedure in its attempt to help them. To some extent, these people do need the help of western/affluent peoples to better their situations. On the other hand, we need to be careful about the line between helping and dicating.
The men who I’ve known who are feminists are men who meet me as an equal. The men who I’ve known who are known who are not tend to meet me as a subordinate. Obviously, the fomer are who I want on my side. The general concern with men who claim to be feminists is that they may be of the latter group.
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