Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

[Alan Berkowitz <>]

Dear Friends,

I'd like to add the following to the discussion:

I agree that men are feeling frustrated for all the reasons stated, 
including Keith's discussion of how masculine ideals restrict men's 
emotional development.  What I would like to add to this discussion is 
that men are wrongly holding women responsible for these frustrations - 
i.e. projecting on feminism the blame for their emotional predicament. 
In addition men who are not privileged in a variety of ways (class, 
race, sexual orientation, etc) - especially working class men - are also 
frustrated for valid reasons but incorrectly project the responsibility 
for their frustration on the women's movement.  If this analysis is 
correct then our task is to validate what men are feeling but help them 
understand or re-frame the true reasons for their feelings.  This I 
believe would reduce the backlash against feminism.

Thanks for all the good comments,


Alan

--
Alan D. Berkowitz,  PhD
P.O. Box 701
Trumansburg, N.Y. 14886-0701
Tel:   607 387-3789
Fax:  607 387-9615
www.alanberkowitz.com