I recently came across the webpage’s for the “American Men’s Studies Association” which was founded in 1993 and the “Foundation for Male Studies” which was founded this year. Both organizations explore men and masculinities but have different foundations. The aim of the American Men’s Studies Association is to “to encourage the refinement of the parameters of men’s studies, to generate theory, and to develop methodologies of the study of masculinities from an ethical perspective that eschews oppression in all forms (namely, sexism, racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, classism, etc.).” while the Foundation for Male Studies focus on “misandry” and “the presence of an unacknowledged underlying theme of misandry in popular culture”.
While I believe both organizations have interesting contributions to make to the field, I have trouble understanding the foundation that the foundation for male studies is trying to stand up on. To me it sounds like they are saying that feminism has achieved all of its goals (in the United States) to the extent that men are now oppressed which we know is not true. I’d personally rather be a member of the American Men’s Studies camp which has its foot more in women’s studies and study men in that fashion.
What do others think about these two organizations, especially the formation of the Foundation for Men’s Studies?
Misandry is a myth - it is used to dismiss and minimize a very real conversation about oppression (and it is a common, tired tactic, one you have heard very recently, even last week, I believe : ). Male Studies is like Western Studies - that's what we've been doing all this time. FMS is saying what you think they are - they are not advocating for anything remotely aligned with feminism, but in opposition to it.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I've read and heard about some frightening ideas espoused by such groups, and although I would argue they have good intentions, you know how the saying goes.
ReplyDelete