Teachers describe a deterioration in behaviour and attitudes that has proved to be fertile terrain for misogynistic influencers

“As soon as I mention feminism, you can feel the shift in the room; they’re shuffling in their seats.” Mike Nicholson holds workshops with teenage boys about the challenges of impending manhood. Standing up for the sisterhood, it seems, is the last thing on their minds.

When Nicholson says he is a feminist himself, “I can see them look at me, like, ‘I used to like you.’”

Once Nicholson, whose programme is called Progressive Masculinity, unpacks the fact that feminism means equal rights and opportunities for women, many of the boys with whom he works are won over.

“A lot of it is bred from misunderstanding and how the word is smeared,” he says.

But he is battling against what he calls a “dominance-based model” of masculinity. “These old-fashioned, regressive ideas are having a renaissance, through your masculinity influencers – your grifters, like Andrew Tate.”

  • @maness300
    link
    -110 months ago

    From my experience, men who follow feminism get pats on the back while men who ignore feminism get laid.

    The issue isn’t the men. It’s what women value. Men just do what they think will get them laid.

    • @gedaliyahM
      link
      English
      810 months ago

      This comment is somehow both extremely misogynistic and misandrist at the same time.

      Men and women deserve respect. Men and women are responsible for their own actions. These two statements should not be controversial

      • @maness300
        link
        3
        edit-2
        10 months ago

        Literally nothing about my comment said or implied that men or women do not deserve respect or that either aren’t responsible for their actions.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      310 months ago

      Might be an over simplification, LMAO 😂 But I do think you’re right to an extent. Some of the loudest ‘feminists’ can be pretty negative towards men. While I’ve found most real feminist to be good people fighting for equality, they often don’t seem to want to stand up to these women. I don’t know if they fear they will be perceived as antifeminist or what. But it ends up with conversations of gender sometimes entering the ‘take your lumps’ territory if you’re a man. Like, “Thanks for taming the rapist inside you, but us ladies have it covered.” Where as being around women with strong traditional values, it can be really sad that they don’t respect themselves, but at least they respect you. In moments of selfishness it can feel so good to bask in that respect, even if it’s not deserved.

      I think pretty much any political movement has the magnetism to attract people who hate the other side. But when the other side agrees, you win. So maybe make your cause hospitable for anyone who wants to further it.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      010 months ago

      Wow, from my experience men get laid for being feminists. If you still truly belive that the patriarchy and the status quo are fine, women can tell and see right through you. If you believe the patriarchy is good for you as a man, you are wrong. What women really want is a person who understands and can have healthy relationships with not only their female partners but all relationships they have with other people. The patriarchy discourages these healthy relationships.

    • Keith
      link
      fedilink
      09 months ago

      It’s statistically true that (and yes this is a bit different but still relevant) women are generally not willing to be in relationships with Conservatives so idk

    • loiakdsf
      link
      fedilink
      -210 months ago

      so you’re saying the motivation behind the male population’s acts and their believe system is based on their hormone system?

      I doubt that…