There is a never a bad time to take a step back and review some of the foundational principles and values upon which we seek to build justice and equity. Many articles on this site explore the ways in which patriarchy and toxic masculinity are harmful to the health, well-being, and relationships of men. But…
The expectations of toxic masculinity–and normative masculine gender socialization–takes a toll on men and boys in a variety of ways. This is by no means an argument for minimizing or re-centering the discourse on rape culture away from women, girls, queer folks, people who are gender-non-conforming, and other marginalized communities and individuals. But in order to…
Toxic masculinity–the way of being a man that requires aggression, sexual domination, earning big money, being athletic, and most definitely, being heterosexual–not only feeds rape culture, but is co-dependent upon it. In fact, rape culture and toxic masculinity feed each other while destroying everything they touch. The video below from MTV News provides a quick and…
Oppression takes many forms and can come from places both expected and not. These are times that call on us all to actively put forth our best selves, holding both ourselves and each other accountable. Solidarity, after all, is a verb. It is our collective responsibility to speak out against hate, against oppression, against the…
“The problem with allyship is that good intentions are not enough. Allyship offers a safe haven from harsh realities and the dirty work of creating change. It offers a comfortable distance that can be terribly unproductive.” (Gay, 2016) The World We Live In Philando Castile was murdered in the town I currently call home, just…
As one of the preeminent scholars on Masculinity, Michael Kaufman’s research has highlighted contradictions within traditional feminist narratives of patriarchal power and control. That is not to say that he is trying to undermine feminist discourse, or does not support it; rather Kaufman works to complicate the discourse by showing how competition and violence within…
To be an ally is to assist in other people’s struggle. To be a turncoat, one must acknowledge that their struggle is to foment insurrection within a privileged class. Oppression does not just happen to some people, it is systemic in part because privilege has been internalized and efforts to create equity are resisted. If…
Listen more than you speak. Reflect on what oppressed people say. Speak up against oppression. Becoming an ally is an important step in undoing cultures of oppression. Thanks to Anne Bishop for compiling this list on steps people of privilege can take to support oppressed people and work to end oppression. – Brett Goldberg Read…
