Quotes – Men Stopping Rape

January 27, 2008 at 11:56 pm (Gender quotes)
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“It is men who rape and men who collectively have the power to end rape.” – Timothy Beneke, author, Men on Rape

“The argument that rape and prostitution are timeless, immutable facts of life has strong naturalistic connotations. Naturalism declares what is to be natural, and does not see that present realities may be changeable in the future. In so doing, naturalism stifles exploration of human potential. It denies human agency and depoliticizes human society.” – Vogelman, 83-4

“Within the realm of social expectations and rules to which both men and women subscribe is the ideology of ‘natural’ laws of human behavior. Social norms define certain modes of behavior as instinctual and therefore proper, and insist that certain behaviors have always occurred and will continue to do so.” – Vogelman, 27

“Hermann argues that a society which teaches men to engage in sexual conquest and to be competetive and aggressive, especially in the sphere of sexual relations, must be defined as a rape culture, for it is these characteristics and behaviors that are primary contributors to the incidence of rape.” – Vogelman, 37

“Hermann (1984) concludes that the United States is a rape culture because both genders are taught to regard male aggression as a natural and normal part of sexual relations.” – Scully, Diana: Understanding Sexual Violence: A Study of Convicted Rapists, 50

“These examples [of rapists' denials and rationalizations of their acts] expose the role played by sexist ideology and rape myths in the social control of women, and the ‘license’ to rape which is given men.” – Vogelman, 176

“The dominant male discourse also functions to naturalize and to justify ideologically men’s violence towards women and the power relations which underpin the use of force in gender relations.” – Kelly, 138

“Many of the problems rape victims encounter with their husbands or boyfriends seem, in part, due to these men believing common rape myths. These men regard the women as tainted and blame them for their victimization.” – Vogelman, 136

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Ten Things Men Can Do to End Sexism and Male Violence Against Women

January 27, 2008 at 11:26 pm (feminism, male feminism, sexism, violence against women)
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I recently found a hard copy of this list which I had printed on 12.18.96. The original page is down but it’s been reprinted here. It was created by HASM, Harvard Anti-Sexist Men, an organization “founded in 1991 to encourage men to tame responsibility for sexism and male violence against women, and to challenge traditional concepts of masculinity.”

1. Read about yourself. Read articles, essays, books about masculinity, gender inequality, and the root causes of sexual violence. Educate yourself and others about the connections between larger social forces and the conflicts between individual women and men. Resources: R. W. Connell, Gender and Power; D. Gilmore, Manhood in The Making; M. Messner, D. Sabo, eds., Sport, Men and the Gender Order; J. Stoltenberg, Refusing to Be a Man.

2. Understand how your own attitudes and actions perpetuate sexism and violence, and work toward changing them. Examples of typical sexist/abusive behavior:

  • Pressuring a woman to have sex (includes Rape, Date Rape).
  • Taunting or whistling at women, following women around, embarrassing women in public (Sexual Harassment).
  • Controlling women by using threatening gestures, by outshouting women, blocking doorways, driving recklessly (Intimidation).
  • Verbally assaulting women by name calling, swearing, mocking, ridiculing, criticizing, accusing, trivializing (Psychological Abuse).

3. Confront sexist, racist, homophobic and all other bigoted remarks or jokes. Boycott comedians such as Andrew Dice Clay who verbally assault women in their acts. Boo in comedy clubs when male comedians tell sexist jokes.

4. Recognize homophobia and speak out against gay-bashing. Discrimination against lesbians and gays is a key way in which we’re all confined in restrictive gender roles. See: Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price, by W. Blumenfeld; Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism, by S. Pharr.

5. Don’t fund sexism. Don’t purchase any magazine, rent any video or buy any piece of music that portrays women in a sexually degrading or violent manner. Protest sexism in the media.

6. Support candidates for political office who are committed to the full social, economic and political equality of women. Actively oppose candidates who are not.

7. Support and fight for increased state and federal funding for battered women’s shelters and rape crisis centers. Volunteer where men are needed in public schools, youth outreach centers and political lobby groups.

8. Support or propose curriculum changes, at every level of the educational system, which mandate courses and programs dealing with sexism and sexual violence. Urge coaches of boys’ and men’s athletic teams to require their players to attend workshops and seminars on sexism and male violence against women.

9. Organize or join a group of men, in school, at your workplace or among friends, to work against sexism and violence.

10. Support feminists. Commit yourself to ending oppression in all its forms.

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