Special Issue on Men

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 2 MCLA Fall 2008

A Letter from the Editor: Dear Men

Page 2

Debunking the Dumb Guy Stereotype

Page 3

Men Against Violence Against Women

Page 4

Pink-Collared Men
Page 5

Homophobias Role in Heterosexual Masculinity

Page 6

Election 2008: Where the Candidates Stand on our Issues

Page 7

Andrew Bock, You Missed Your Own Point

Page 10

Report on Stereotalk II: What is Gender?

Page 11

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

A Letter From the Editor: Dear Men

Ill get to my new role as editor in just a minute. First, I want to address men. All men white men, black men, Asian men, Latino men, native men, straight men, gay men, men who like women and men, men who arent quite sure they are men, men who call themselves feminists and men who do not, men who lift weights, men who read books, men who read comic books, men who read gossip magazines, men who knit, men who play sports, disabled men, able-bodied men, single men, married men, fathers, brothers, and any men I forgot: I am addressing you directly right now because, quite honestly, I fear you will otherwise think this newsletter is not for you. It is, and not just because your gender is this issues theme. The Womens Center Newsletter is for men, too, despite the presence of the word women in the title. Its a phenomenon that only seems to work one way the majority, so to speak, seeing things aimed at the minority as not for them, as special interest. Im not faulting you, men, for not being interested in something in which you dont see yourself represented. But imagine if it worked the other way if gay people dismissed any movie with a heterosexual romance? If women dismissed any band with all male members? If people of color dismissed any television show with an all white cast? The minority would be hard up for entertainment. Thats why you, men, should reconsider dismissing something that doesnt represent your gender, (and why white people should reconsider something that doesnt represent their ethnicity, and straight people their sexuality and so on) - because it is a huge privilege to have instant access to media that does represent you, and by ignoring media that represents other people, you are missing out on some quality stuff. But thats not the only reason. As we hope youll discover in this issue, womens issues affect men. They effect men not just because they affect their mothers, sisters, girlfriends, wives and daughters these issues affect men directly. The same binary gender roles that set up the expectation for women to be gentle and emotional, set up the expectation for men to be aggressive and stoic. There is an educational poster stating such: For every girl who is tired of acting weak when she is strong, there is a boy tired of appearing strong when he is vulnerable for every girl who throws out her EZ Bake oven, there is a boy who wishes to find one for every girl who takes a step towards her liberation, 2 there is a boy who finds the way to freedom a little easier. Womens studies and feminism is for men, too, because when we question and dismantle the gender roles oppressive to women, mens gender roles become meaningless and less restrictive, too. You may be comfortable with traditional masculinity. Thats fine. Neither I nor the Womens Center nor feminism is trying claim, men, that we know what is best for you. We do, however, know what is worst for you: someone else deciding whats best for you. And as long as gender roles and stereotypes exist unexamined, someone will be there to tell you what you must do to be a real man, or a real woman, and anyone who doesnt fit the narrow standard will continue to face ostracism, discrimination and violence. Thus, men, feminism is fighting for you, too. Just as any movement aiming for social justice and equality must fight for everyone, not just itself. We hope youll fight with us. When other peoples rights, identities or liberties are being stepped on and someone does nothing because they feel it does not affect them, they make it acceptable for people to be stepped on and they may be next. I hope you enjoy our first full issue (Im talking to everyone now) of the 08-09 year. Inside youll find insights from our staff, old and new, on the topic of men: some stereotypes they face (page 3), how their occupations mesh with their masculinity (page 5), how homophobia affects them despite their orientation (page 6), and what some men are doing to disassociate violence from masculinity and end violence against women (page 4). This is the first time our newsletter has a designated editor, and for me it means not just making sure everything inside is accurate, without typos and released on time, but being dedicated to making each issue astounding. What began as a way to advertise the Centers events has blossomed into a progressive voice on campus, and I hope our little publication will continue to grow into something you will anticipate, be excited by and share. Feel free to contact me and the rest of the staff with questions, comments, and even possible contributions at womenscenter@mcla.edu, or stop by the Womens Center on the third floor of the campus center, Room 322.

- Raechel Doughty, Editor

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

Debunking the Dumb Guy Stereotype by Holly Huffstutler

In recent years several articles have been written on the subject of bad dog feminism, which Faye Flam of the Philadelphia Inquirer defined as (advocating) that (women) become empowered by treating men like dogs who need to be trained At least one dating guide has been published that advocates using canine obedience school techniques to train guys. Hilarious, right? Any nonbrainwashed woman wouldnt stand for a book like that if the gender was reversed and women were likened to dogs, so why is it okay to say that about men? Perhaps the reason this is considered acceptable is because of the current stereotype of men that portrays men as controllable buffoons who inevitably mess everything up. One commercial circulating the airwaves right now is an ad for glass cleaner. A man asleep in an overstuffed armchair wakes up after his wife has cleaned the glass door next to him letting in much more light. This isnt my house the confused man says, panics and runs into the glass door like a bird or a dog. His wife is shown standing in the kitchen, calmly smirking. The voice over says It will make everything in your house brighter, well almost everything This ad is a classic example of a phenomenon the Andrew Bock details in his article Dumb stereotypes take heart out of boys hopes. In his article he expresses a worry that media that appeal to women are more likely to portray men as bungling incompetent fall guys in the workplace and in relationships He cites one current form of media that trades almost exclusively in this vision of man child. Men are portrayed on almost every sitcom as big dumb idiots whose disproportionately good-looking wives have to fix everything when they inevitably screw it up. Intriguingly, all of those shows (Everybody loves Raymond, King of Queens,. et al.) are credited as based on the comedy routines of the men they star, so why do all those men cast themselves as perpetual children? It seems to be lucrative, not unlike the career choices of women who routinely play bimbos, but it also has to hurt their self esteem after a while. If the assumption has been that men dont care when they are stereotyped as morons, that assumption has been proven wrong. Even a scant amount of research reveals that the male population is starting to complain. Bock points to the findings of the Advertising Standards Bureau which records complaints of stereotypes represented in mainstream media. This organization as noticed an increase in men complaining of sexual discrimination. Twenty-three percent of complaints were from men and the ads that received the most complaints were the ones that stereotyped men as idiots. Simplistic gender stereotypes affect little boys just as much as little girls. If they consistently see themselves reflected as dumb, there is the chance that they will come to believe that that is all society expects from them. Evidence of this has already surfaced in several worrying statistics cited by Esquire contributor Tom Chiarella in his article The Problem with Boys. He reports that fourteen percent of eighteen to twenty-four year old males drop out of high school compared to ten percent of girls, that five times as many fifteen to twentyfour-year-old boys commit suicide as girls of the same age, though girls make more attempts, and that ninety-five of state and federal prisoners under the age of twenty-five are male. He also states than forty-two young men for every fifty-eight young women go to college. John Marsden, author of The Boy You Brought Home sees a link between portrayals of male stupidity and how young soon-tobe-men are treated. Teenage boys are among the most ma ligned group in our societyThe media portrays them as either drug crazed, illiter ate, unemployable, suicidal, failures at school, sex criminals or vandals. So adults tend to treat them more suspiciously, and that causes (continued on page 10)

A sampling of the stereotypical men on TV.

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

Men Against Violence Against Women

By Alexandra Nichipor
According to a recent statistic, one in four college women has survived rape or attempted rape. (www.RAINN.org) One in four. Kind of a scary statistic to encounter in your first month at college, isnt it? Additionally, about one in five women will suffer psychological, sexual, or physical violence during their lifetime from an intimate partner. Daunting statistics, these. There are many organizations devoted to rape counseling and domestic violence recovery all or most of them focused on women. While its good that our society has begun to offer such services to the survivors of assault, we are treating the effects, not the cause. We teach girls and women to stay on well-lit streets, to be careful not to invite assault, to never take rides from strangersbut we say very little to men, who perpetuate the vast majority of these crimes, and who are therefore in a better position to stop them. It may be that we are focusing on the wrong gender. I am not saying all men are rapists. After all, they have as much of an investment as women do in ending the danger that their friends, sisters, mothers, and girlfriends face. In recent years, there has been a rise in organizations that help men to support their female counterparts in the battle against sexual assault. One in Four Inc., an organization named for the statistic at the beginning of this article, gives men a better understanding of the suffering of a rape victim, while at the same time dispelling myths about rape. Its a frightening truth that almost 2/3 of rapes are committed by someone the victim knows, and that alcohol is a factor in a large percentage of rapes (A word on this: If a girl has been drinking so much that she cant drive a car, walk, or even speak coherently, can she really consent to sex? The law says no, and in fact, the threshold of evidence required to convict a man of rape is lower if alcohol was involved). One in Four focuses on putting the audience in the womans shoes, giving them a personal connection to the news stories and the statistics. Perhaps this is why males who have participated in One in Four programs report higher levels of empathy toward rape victims and women in general. Sometimes this increased empathy can lead to greater involvement in local communities. Gloucester Men Against Domestic Violence (GMADA) supports a citywide initiative to end violence against women. In addition to producing television advertisements and running fundraising campaigns for the local domestic violence shelter, they organize a semi-annual bumper sticker drive with local high school boys. About 300 cars and trucks around Gloucester now sport Another Man Against Violence Against Women bumper stickers. In February 2002, a billboard reading Strong Men Dont Bully was installed in the downtown area of the city. Offered as a Valentine to the women of the city, it bears the names of more than 500 Gloucester men. The effect of putting ones name to a cause (or a bumper sticker to ones car) should not be underestimated. It puts a face on the movement, and it creates an environment that does not condone violence. There is a similar line of reasoning behind Mens Network Against D o me s t ic Vi o le n ce (MNADV), a national anti -violence organization. Men in MNADV pledge never to mistreat the women in their lives, and to speak out against sexual violence wherever it presents itself. MNADV also encourages its members to mentor young men from abusive families, in order to provide them with a positive male role model. A vision of masculinity without violence is supported by another organization called My Strength, which is devoted to giving men a healthy sense of self in relation to others. With slogans such as My strength is not for hurting, and When she asked me to stop, I stopped, My Strength highlights the role that men play in creating vital and happy relationships, families, and communities, by emphasizing the positive sides of masculinity. Its a known fact that rape does not stem from love, lust, or misunderstood intentions rather, it comes from a need to seize power, to make someone else feel small. And what truly strong man has a need like that? To paraphrase Maria Chambers, our fabulous convocation speaker, throughout American history, (continued on page 9) 4

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

Pink-Collared Men
By Katie Hermance
Men simply dont think about gender. Why would you, when it rarely impacts in a noticeable way on your life? A statement, simple yet provocative, is being raised by journalist Alex Gibson. Most men do not consider the fact that gender stereotypes affect both of the sexes. In Gibsons article, Why Men should care about Gender Stereotypes, he addresses many issues that limit how men are perceived by society. Jokes poking fun at the other sex stereotypes men as sex-obsessed and stupid, lazy and incompetent. What is most interesting about this particular article is that while women have been fighting their stereotypes for decades now (all women are: good mothers, bimbos, and sex objects), men have been laughing at the jokes pointed at themselves, therefore accepting the stereotypes. Gibson states that Male perceptions of women are designed to make us feel smug in our superiority, but the way weve chosen to label ourselves should make any man feel thoroughly humiliated and ashamed of his gender. In general, most men do not think about gender. Yet, because of feminism and changes occurring in the twenty-first century many are beginning to. More and more men are choosing occupations that were once completely dominated by women. Hair-stylists, designers, cosmetologists and secretaries are just a few of the jobs that are considered pink-collar, yet a growing number of men appear in them. Pink-collar is a term that has been given to jobs that are traditionally for women. Yet, during the late twentieth century many men began working in these fields. Jobs that used to hold little prestige are now changing. Nursing is one of the many occupations that used to be considered a womans job. Thomas Harding, a Ph.D. assistant professor in Norway states that even today, society stereotypes male nurses as gay and conflate homosexuality and sexual predation. This image of a flamboyant homosexual male dancing around in the hospital quarters is the stereotype that many people see when the term male-nurse is used. Yet, many men are turning to nursing because of the strong need for nurses, the stability of the job and personal enjoyment of helping others. Also, the media seems to be supporting men in this profession as well. A new professional journal has broken out of the fold entitled, Men in Nursing. Robert Kepshire, the magazines editor explains that there is a need for nursing articles pointed at men. The trend is that men are interested in

nursing (LeMoult). Still, there are many hurdles that male nurses have to overcome. Concerning specialties such as gynecology, women patients seem to generally be more comfortable with female physicians and female nurses. Also, because of the high number of people applying for nursing school, many men are arguing that there should be some kind of quota-system that would allow a percentage of men into the occupation. In 1980 male nurses made up just over four percent of nurses. Twenty years later, that number has doubled making the statistic almost eight percent (Becker Medical Library). Still, a very small percentage of nurses are male. Being a nanny is another pink collar occupation that is attracting more and more men. Since girls are more likely to get babysitting jobs and work at daycare centers at a younger age and boys tend to work at summer camps and coach, aspiring male nannies (called mannies) are often overlooked. One individual, Damian Irizarry, shows that men can be just as nurturing as women. He admits that he is a rare specieshard to spot and even tougher to preserve (Roja). Irizarry is a manny to a one-year old girl, Sofia, and helps her mother, Darlene, around the house in light of her muscle weakness. About ten percent of nannies are now male and that number is growing. Irizarry realizes that the tables have turned, in respect of job hunting in the nanny business. Men must have strong references and qualifications and work three times as hard to get a position than women who are interested in the nanny gig (Roja). Many people question a mans ability to nurture children because of the stereotype that women are naturally better nurturers. Along with that stereotype the main questions that mannies face is why? Darlene, the mother of Sofia says, I really feel that some people were thinking, This guy could be a pedophileIt really makes me sick. There are women who do the same thing, molestation. I just know some people, because he was a guy [said] Did you check him out?...Well, hes gay, right? (Roja). According to the media, the only reason to hire a manny is so that mothers will have a kind of boy toy. Although it is true that some women are attracted to men who are good with children, the stereotype, for most women, is absurd. One great reason to have a manny in the house is for young boys with a single mother to have a role model to look up to when there is no father figure (Roja). While more women are finding occupations within what were once considered mens jobs, men are also finding passions for jobs that were once dominated by women. Along with mannies and male nurses, stay at home fathers and male pre-secondary (continued on page 9) 5

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

Homophobias Role in Heterosexual Masculinity

by Samantha McLenithan
Often, when men perceive a lack of masculinity in other men they refer to them as faggots or queers. Men that use these words do not do so because they think these other men are homosexual; they do so because these men possess attributes considered un-manly such as being artistic or studious. The targeting of males who do not conform to traditional masculinity happens as early as primary school, before puberty, and therefore before they are able to foster their own sexual identity. The use of homophobic terms teaches males early on in life to conform to sexual stereotypes, specifically a traditional masculinity which constricts them from pursuing activities perceived as feminine. Men in almost all cultures must prove their masculinity to be considered a real man. In many societies, almost identical attributes are needed to be considered one gender or the other and therefore, a more moralistic person. In the Truk Islands, a man must prove his manhood by deep-sea fishing alone in sharkinfested waters, drinking in large quantities, fighting other men, and seeking out women for sex. If the men wish not to participate in these activities they are called effeminate and are taunted by others saying: Are you a man? Come, I will take your life now. On the Greek Aegean Island of Kalymnos young men must demonstrate their masculinity by fishing in deep water without the help of diving equipment. If a man fails to do so or wishes to use diving equipment, he is called effeminate and shamed. The Amhara, an Ethiopan Semitic tribe, put an extreme emphasis on masculinity, which they call wandat. To prove that they have wandat, young men in the tribe must endure whipping ceremonies in which they are scarred. On his wedding night, an Amhara man must show his masculinity by waving a bloody sheet demonstrating that his marriage has been consummated. These gender ideals many times become the basis for an individuals self-esteem, because these attributes become psychological identities (Gilmore 209). In the article Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and Violence Michael S. Kimmel and Matthew Mahler explore the idea that boys who perpetrated school shootings were relentlessly teased, spurring them to act out in violence, and that the content of the teasing was homophobic. All school shootings since 1992 have been perpetrated by boys; a key and obvious 6 point overlooked by the media. If girls had committed the acts the media would surely have pointed out their gender and possibly blamed the violence on feminism. Also, if the violence had occurred by the hand of African American students, the media would have focused on race or the violence in inner city schools. But because the violence came from Caucasian males, the media has shifted its blame from group stereotypes to individual psychological problems. The majority of school shootings in the United States between 1982 and 2001 occurred in markedly conservative areas. There is a tendency in these areas towards narrow gender roles and homophobic attitudes. This data implies that school shootings are less about individual psychology and more about local culture teaching adolescent males that having attributes that are not traditionally masculine is unacceptable. The fear of being perceived as gay is a constant burden on adolescent men, whether they are gay or straight. Homophobia in adolescents does not stem from fearing oneself is gay or fearing gay people, but from the fear that one may be perceived as gay. Homophobia is used to enforce traditional masculinity by making boys feel as if they will become homosexual if they dont act in a traditionally masculine way. This fear or becoming homosexual psychologically damages some boys so severely that they resort to act of violence. Homophobic slurs are used to hurt, dehumanize, and humiliate adolescent boys. Homophobic slurs in boys are not necessarily meant to question ones sexuality, but to single out boys who dont posses the stereotypical traits or those who dont participate in the stereotypical activities of their male gender. The use of these terms leave a lasting impression on mens identities.
Sources: Gilmore, David D. (2001) The Manhood Puzzle. in Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Caoline B. Brettell and Carolyn F. Sargent, eds. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Plummer, David. "The quest for modern manhood.." Journal of Adolescence 08 31 2000 20 Oct 2008 Kimmel, Michael S. Mahler, Matthew. Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia and Violence 2001.

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN SPECIAL ISSUE ON WOMEN AND WORK

Election 2008: Where the Candidates Stand on Our Issues by Holly Huffstutler
The original intent for this piece was a special election edition of our regular feature Inspiring Woman, only it would be Inspiring Man in honor of this special issue on gender stereotypes being used against men. So this was supposed to be Inspiring part of the role of the court is that it M e n : Obama/ Biden 08, but in is going to protect people who may be vulnerable in the political process, the out- the interest of obsider, the minority, those who are vulner- jective reporting it been exable, those who don't have a lot of clout." has panded to analyze Barack Obama, 11/15/07 where all the dedicated public servants up for our highest offices stand on womens issues in this fascinating election. The facts will be allowed to stand for themselves. Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic Presidential nominee, states that he will make preserving womens rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He also opposes any constitutional amendment that would overturn Roe. Senator John McCain, the Republican Presidential nominee has stated on his website and in debate that "abortion is a human tragedy, and Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, but the decision should be left to individual states to decide. But he also believes that the reversal of Roe v. Wade represents only one step in the long path toward ending abortion, and that path will have to involve courage and compassionthe courage of a pregnant mother to bring her child into the world and the compassion of civil society to meet her needs and those of her newborn baby. John McCain says nothing of providing serVices that will reduce unintended pregnancies, unlike his opponent Barack Obama who is co-sponsoring the Prevention First Act. This legislation would increase funding for family planning assistance to rape victims and sex education that teaches abstinence and safe sex. The act also outlaws insurance companies from exempting birth control from prescription coverage and advocates improving public knowledge about emergency contraception. Anyone who watched the Democratic National Convention should have noticed that this Democratic ticket is very dedicated to ending pay inequity. Just about every speaker mentioned it, including Obama who said I want my daughters to have the same opportunities as your sons. While serving as an Illinois State Senator, Obama co-sponsored the Illinois Equal Pay Act and in the US Senate he was part of a group that introduced the Fair Pay Restoration Act Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden has fought against gender violence for decades. His Violence Against Women Act, which Obama worked to reauthorize and co-sponsored, provides education grants to prevent domestic violence, funds non profit organizations and helps police departments combat domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. John McCain voted against it. The official Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin websites indicate how seriously they each consider womens rights to be. On obamaforamerica.com there is a whole subpage under Women for Obama that details what the two Democratic senators have done for women in their careers and what an Obama presidency promises to do for women. There is no equivalent at johnmccain.com. A search for women for McCain leads to a page that tells how female McCain supporters can help the Republican senator get elected, not why they should vote for him. In his issues page, he has no official statements on women below the poverty line, pay equity or domestic violence. He mentions women in the military only as part of a blanket statement: our men and women in uniform. The Women for Obama issues page draws attention to the unique problems faced by women in the armed forces. The Department of Veterans Affairs that was built to care for World War II veterans is not ready to handle the influx of women veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. That page informs that Obama has introduced legislation to fight homelessness among veterans that specially focuses on treating women who have been victims of sexual trauma. Obama knows that women in the military face harassment from their fellow soldiers and that one-third of women are raped while serving in the military (Benedict: 44). He has cosponsored Senator Claire McCaskills legislation for better mental health care for returning women soldiers. The most upfront way that the McCain campaign has chosen to show that they believe in the advancement of women is in their VP choice: Alaska governor Sarah Palin. She is the first woman ...it takes courage to insist that the nominated to the Repub- courts have to return to their proper lican Presidential ticket role. I will appoint strict constructionand only the second ist judges that won't legislate from woman in history to run the bench." for Vice President. She (continued on next page)

John McCain, 10/19/07

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

Election 2008 (continued)

was also the first female Alaskan governor. Governor Palin opposes abortion, with no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. She stated during her gubernatorial run that she would not support an abortion for her own daughter even if she had been raped. (Stein:1). Palin, who is a member of Feminists for Life, has stated that she would grant exceptions if the mothers life was in danger. At the time of her original statement, which she has stood by in this election, Alaska had a rape rate 2.2 times above the national average and 25 percent of all rapes resulted in unwanted pregnancies. While running for governor, she said she would fund abstinence-only education programs in schools. There is also substantial evidence to suggest that actions taken by Sarah Palin led to sexual assault victims being charged for their own rape kits, which provide emergency contraception and gather medical evidence that can be used to prosecute their rapists. In an effort to cut spending in Wasilla, Palins administration began charging to the victims insurance the five hundred to twelve hundred dollars that the town had previously paid for. As mayor, Palin had to approve the budget that proposed that change. Palin has been identified as opposing equal pay. Her campaign has countered by saying she doesnt oppose equal pay for equal work, she opposes overturning statutes of limitations and therefore defends the Supreme Courts decision to deny Lily Ledbetters suit for equal pay from Goodyear. It should be mentioned that all four major party candidates for President and Vice President oppose the recognition of gay marriage. Republican Presidential candidate John McCains official campaign website lays out his position on gay marriage in a campaign article called Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life His position boils down to states rights and the superiority of heterosexual child rearing. He believes that the courts shouldnt intervene where state and local governments do act to preserve the traditional family. McCain voted for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 96, doesnt believe in gay adoption, and voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act because he doesnt believe that [homosexuals] belong in a special category. McCain has answered positively when asked if he would sign a federal marriage amendment as President. McCain has also voted down efforts to include gender identity and sexual orientation in federal hate crimes legislation on three occasions and voted against the Ryan White CARE Act. The Democratic ticket appears to oppose gay marriage in name only. In his Vice Presidential debate against Sarah Palin, Joe Biden made the unusual distinction between recognizing gay marriage and legally protecting gay couples, while Palin showed herself to be 8

totally resistant to the concept of gay marriage. Biden said there should be absolutely no distinction between the legal rights of committed gay and straight couples. Same-sex couples should be able to have visitation rights in the hospitals, joint ownership of property, life insurance policies, etc. That's only fair. Whereas Palin opposed granting rights to same sex couples if it goes closer and closer towards redefining the traditional definition of marriage. When the two were asked if they support gay marriage, they both opposed it. Bidens exact words were: No. Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriageThat is basically the decision to be left to faiths. When asked about gays in the military in a Democratic debate earlier in the election Biden had replied: Our allies -- the British, the French, all our ma jor allies -- gays openly serve. I don't know the last time an American soldier said to a backup from a Brit, Hey, by the way, let me check. Are you gay? Are you straight? This is ridiculous. Barack Obama and Joe Biden both voted nay to a federal amendment banning same sex marriage. Obama believes LGBT people should not be discriminated against with regards to adoption. While in the Illinois State Senate, Obama sponsored a nondiscrimination bill which passed after his election to the US Senate. He supports a repeal of DOMA and Dont Ask, Dont Tell and voted for increased funding for AIDS Drug Assistance. Obama supports civil unions and believes that: civil unions have to have the equivalent legal rights as a marriage license, and has pointed out inequality in civil unions, noting that there are about 1200 legal rights that are available to married couples that arent available to same-sex couples, even if the state recognizes same-sex couples. Those are the where the candidates stand on the issues as reflected by their official campaign sources and objective news outlets. May the team with the most electoral votes win.
Sources: http://www.onthissues.org/joe_biden_civil_rights.htm www.obamaforamerica.com www.johnmccain.com Benedict, Helen. The Scandal of Military Rape Ms. Vol. XVII Number 4, Fall 2008 Sam Stein of Huffington Post. 9/1/08 Palin on Abortion: Id oppose even if my own daughter was raped Jones, Athena OBAMA: PALIN AGAINST EQUAL PAY http://www.msnbc.com/firstread 31 August 2008 Alperin-Sheriff, Jacob. New Evidence: Palin had direct role in charging rape victims for exam Huffington Post. 11 September 2008

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON WOMEN AND WORK SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

Men Against Violence Against Women, continued

blacks have helped whites, straight folks have helped gays, and men have helped women. What benefits one group of people benefits another. Its also true that stereotypes are frequently the impetus behind acts of violence, and stereotypes are no good for anyone. Women are not sexual commodities or perpetual victims, and men are not sexually insatiable or insensitive beasts. It will take the voices of all genders to change this.
Sources: www.RAINN.org http://www.mystrength.org/ http://www.mencanstoprape.org http://www.oneinfourusa.org/ http://www.strongmendontbully.com/ http://www.menagainstdv.org/ Brownmiller, Susan. Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape. 1975. Simon and Schuster: New York, New York. Chiarella, Tom. The Problem With Boys. Esquire magazine. Martin, Patricia Yancey. Hummer, Robert A. Fraternities and Rape on Campus. Mapping the Social Landscape: Readings in Sociology. 1996, Mayfield Publishing Company, California.

A few posters from the My Strength project.

Pink-Collared Men, continued

teachers are also on the rise. The stereotypes that go along with these jobs are bountiful and the first way to approach dealing with these misrepresentations of men is to begin discussing the one question that many men believe doesnt concern them; the gender question.
Sources: Bernard Becker Medical Library Digital Collection. By the Numbers: Men in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Women in Health Sciences. Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri: 2004. <http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/mowihsp/ stats/men.htm>. Gibson, Alex. Why should Men care about Gender Stereotypes. The F Word: Contemporary UK Feminism. February 2008. www.thefword.org.uk Harding, Thomas. The Construction of men who are Nurses as Gay. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Dec. 2007. LeMoult, Craig. Why So Few Male Nurses? Columbia News Service. April 2006. Roja, Genevieve. Manny of the House. Metroactive. January 2001. www.metroactive.com/papers

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

The Dumb Guy Stereotype, continued

them (unconsciously) to become angry or frustrated (Bock: 1). Chiarella confides that he, as a father of two boys and a college professor, has also seen a troubling trend in the intellectual engagement and achievement of boys. He tells the Esquire reader, who is assumed to be an intelligent sophisticated man or possibly a woman who appreciates intelligent sophisticated men, that he has noticed a drop off in male enrollment. Many of his male students who have beaten statistical probability and make it to college arent as engaged as his female students are. Their GPAs are lower. They keep quiet during class discussions and hide in the back of the room. In Chiarellas opinion the problem isnt boys, the problem is men, because they havent inspired this generation of boys the way this generation of girls has been inspired by women. He quotes Kati Haycock saying the gains of girls are the result of...advocacy on the part of women, and girls are getting the message that anything is possible. Its a result of women constantly being reminded that they have to watch out for their financial well being, and they could do this through schools. Women got that message. They are still getting it. Thats whats owed the boys (Chiarella: 6). The question is how can men inspire the future generation of men when they are frequently told that intellect isnt manly? And what does it do for the intellectual confidence of young men (or older men for that matter) to be told through movies, cartoons, magazine articles and TV shows that men have no deeper thoughts or drive beyond the next ball game or video game. And what does it do for the minds of American men who see other men who arent afraid to flaunt their intelligence dismissed as academic professorial, European, and above all, not real men. The long road to gender equality will never end until both male and female accept the notion of true equality. Equality will certainly never be achieved when we rely on stereotypes that either bring men down and women up; or women down and men up. Equality will come when men and women stand up for themselves and demand that the world sees their value, and while they are doing that see the value of the woman or man standing next to them. Thats equality.
Sources Bock, Andrew. Dumb stereotypes take heart out of boys hopes Sydney Morning Herald 18 September 2003 Chiarella, Tom. The problem with boys. Esquire 1 July 2006

Andrew Bock, You Missed Your Own Point

by Holly Huffstutler
One of the sources used for Debunking the Dumb Guy Stereotype was Australian journalist Andrew Bock. Bock is a fascinating case study because of the progression of sentiments expressed in his article, Dumb stereotypes take heart out of boys hopes. He starts off protesting actual media sexism towards men and then shifts gears and eventually comes very close to claiming oppression where it doesnt exist. Following his accurate descriptions of worrisome male stereotypes, Bock appears to get side tracked by imagined sexism and false information. His words indicate that his interpretation is based on a reluctance to accept the concept of powerful women. His outrage also expresses an assumption that is common among many men who are uncomfortable with the concept of equality between women and men: anything written, said, or done to promote women must also subjugate men. Philosopher and feminist Tom Digby, combated this flawed theory in a lecture co-sponsored by the Womens Center last month. He called this flawed assumption a zero sum game, because the assumption of Bock and men like him is that gains of women are because of losses of men. In discussing the media, he first cites Sex in the City for stereotyping men into various passive archetypes. He derides the concept of the four women avidly browsing for men, assessing them over coffee and, sooner or later, moving on out of disappointment. Bock also seems to think that the series separated all men into three types: rich Mr. Bigs; nice, patient, sensitive guys; toxic bachelors and himbos. Bock would be correct if the series had ended after the pilot, which did trade in male and female stereotypes, but it didnt. The first episode discussed the concept of toxic bachelors (men who were single because of two personality traits: commitment phobia and obnoxiousness) and having sex like a man (recreationally, without romantic attachment and without fear of asking for what they want in bed), but the show got a lot deeper after the pilot and Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte all ended the series happily committed to nice, patient, sensitive, strong, intelligent and sexy men. Plus, Big wasnt an archetype, he was a major character and Bocks not knowing that calls his expertise on the show into serious question. He also incorrectly holds up the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Charmed and Alias as examples of women as heroes and men as villains. First of all, Angel had a male lead and virtually an all male supporting cast, and the main villain was a law firm. The other three shows listed featured female he(continued next page)

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SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMENS CENTER

SPECIAL ISSUE ON WOMEN AND WORK SPECIAL ISSUE ON MEN

Joss Whedon: diabolical enemy of men? Andrew Bock seems to think so.

roes, but none of them had exclusively male villains. Buffy and Angel were both created by the great writer and feminist Joss Whedon. While Whedon is wonderful at crafting strong female characters, hes equally good at strong men. The men on Buffy werent stupid, passive or weak; they were just comfortable with following a woman in a leadership role. Sydney Bristo, the hero of Alias was an unabashedly strong woman, but she also fought crime for her father and her exvillain stepfather, which is fairly patriarchal. Charmed was about a trio of sisters who happened to be powerful witches. They frequently fought and defeated male demons, but those were not the only men on the show. According to Bock, these shows [repeat] a Hollywood formula for violence against the ugly but he seems less concerned with that than his other charge that they [attain] feminist approval because the shows display women being powerful and often over evil men. In other words, Bock finds it horrifying that feminists approve offeminism. While Bock is clearly interested in fighting sexism, he doesnt seem to care that these shows are triumphs against sexism towards women.

Stereotalk II: What is Gender?

by Samantha McLenithan
Stereotalk II, (October 14, 2008 in Hoosac Harbor) the third talk show format event sponsored by the Womens Center, was once again an engaging interactive presentation about stereotypes. The sequel to last years event led with transgender issues. The audience asked questions and commented on the slide show made by Raechel Doughty which depicted gender stereotypes, racism and the medias influence on what we believe to be masculine or feminine. The panel of four students including Jihan Leonard, Jaimie Wallace, Raechel Doughty, and Chiara Morrison gave their own opinions of stereotypes and answered the audiences questions when possible. During Stereotalk II, points such as the sexualizing of womens Halloween costumes and how men cross-dress on Halloween brought up the thought provoking reality that women flaunt their sexuality as women on Halloween, while men try to emulate female sexuality by dressing as women. Also, the power point presentation depicted slides of racist Halloween costumes with exaggerated depictions of Mexican men and other races. Moderator Amy Stevens brought up racism during Stereotalk II by sharing how some African-American transmen experience racism differently once they take on their new gender. As African-American men in public, people become wary of them and take strides to avoid them out of fear. Jaimie Wallace brought his unique perspective to the stereotypes of transgender people by sharing the story of when he told his mother he was transgender, she asked him why he couldnt just be a lesbian. The ultimate goal of Stereotalk II was to make people aware of the fallacies of stereotypes and how they are used with such frequency. After participating in Stereotalk II, the students who attended will hopefully realize the hurtful nature of stereotypes and stop accepting and repeating them.

An example of binary gender from Stereotalk II: Childrens toys and costumes leave no room for gender ambiguity.

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The Individual Enrichment Program presents

An Evening with Abena Koomson

Poet, singer, educator, activist, writer Friday November 14, 2008 Venable Theater, 7pm
Slam poetess and soul singer Abena Koomson unleashes a heavy dose of a capella funk calling it a one-woman show is misleading, because she inevitably inspires audiences to get out of their seats to sing and clap along. In verse and song, this Brooklynite of African extraction unites her ancestral worlds of Ghana and America (New York Times).
Made possible through the generous support of the following co-sponsors: African American Studies Club, Diversity Task Force, Multicultural Student Society, Student Government Association and the Susan B. Anthony Womens Center.

Susan B. Anthony Womens Center

Phone: 413-662-5497 E-mail: womenscenter@mcla.edu

Campus Center Room #322 MCLA North Adams, MA 01247

Mail to:

ISSUE 2

FALL 2008