Liberals & Conservatives: United by Misogyny
(Punching down is the norm all across the spectrum)
Yes, the so-called Left became despicably woke. This reality has unleashed a torrent of backlash against anything that seems “leftist.” For example, I see so many people suddenly claiming that male violence is a hoax perpetrated by “snowflakes.” They actually believe women are the bigger problem. I have two counters to this ahistorical absurdity:
1. If your misogynist take is merely a reflexive attack on the “left,” it’s misguided and ineffectual (to say the least). The Left hates women. (But the Left loves men who claim to be women. The Left also loves pornography and prostitution.) True feminism has not been a “left” issue for a very long time. When you mock and blame women, you’re actually occupying a “liberal” mindset.
2. Read my essay below.
What if I told you that 10 percent of humans are left-handed? Would you argue with me if I added that: therefore, most humans are right-handed?
How about if I explained how 92 percent of U.S. college students prefer print books to e-readers, and declared that the majority of U.S. college students would rather read print than digital when it comes to books? Sure, some might ask for specifics about the studies but I’m guessing no one would truly take offense at my conclusion.
When the evidence is overwhelmingly in one direction, it’s no longer “just an opinion.” But in case you’re still waffling, please consider that 94 percent of student-athletes use social media on a daily basis while 96 percent of dogs put up for adoption have not undergone any kind of obedience training.
How would you react if I stated my intention to recruit a student-athlete who’s never tried Twitter to help me find a highly-trained canine to adopt? Would you wager on my success or merely roll your eyes and call me a dreamer?
Okay, let’s try something new: Males are responsible for 90 percent of violent assaults, 95 percent of domestic and dating violence, and 95 percent of child sexual abuse.
Wait…what’s that? Did you just scream: “NOT ALL MEN”?
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, murder is primarily the domain of males, e.g.
Sex-related murder: 93.6 percent
Gang-related murder: 98.3 percent
Drug-related murder: 95.5 percent
Workplace murders: 91.3 percent
Gun homicide: 91.3 percent
Multiple victims: 93.5 percent
Hold on. Did I just get accused of “reverse sexism”?
How about if pointed out that 99.8 percent of those convicted of rape are male and then added something about rape being almost exclusively a male-on-female crime spree? Would you vociferously debate (sic) me if I cited this stat to prove that rape culture is a top-down, class-based, patriarchal institution?
Would I be “oppressing” or “emasculating” men if I placed all of the above — and so much more — under the broad umbrella of “toxic masculinity”?
Reminder: The term “toxic masculinity” is not an attack on the concept or the potential of masculinity. It’s a simple acknowledgment that males are responsible for infinitely more violence than females.
Pre-emptive caveat: I am not saying all or most males are bad or violent. Far from it. I am saying that almost all violence — particularly violence against females — is committed by males.
I am also not saying females never act violently. But it is virtually impossible to find institutional structures of female-based violence, oppression, and exploitation. In fact, it’d be easier to find a left-handed student-athlete trying to use an e-reader while refusing to post a photo on Instagram of the trained puppy he just adopted.
Supporting women and girls does not make you a soy boy, a communist, or a simp. Rather, it defines you as a devoted supporter of justice and liberty. It’s what you do when you’ve done your homework and reject the simple, meme-posting path. It’s what you do when the truth is more important to you than Facebook likes. Such work also demonstrates that you understand the divine power of masculinity.
Question for the freedom-lovers out there: If you’ve been speaking out against tyranny for the past two-plus years, why are you silent about the tyranny of male violence across the globe?