Tag: mens health

Male victims of domestic violence – some personal accounts

“There’s a lot of men suffering the same Abraham, men are less likely to report it though. Its a two way street. I found it degrading after having my bipolar partner restrained by police to be put in an ambulance, that the literature given to me and having called the help line, that it was all geared towards women. Even the men’s help line, when called and told of being involved in domestic abuse, being questioned about what I’d done to abuse her.

You know when she’s off tap and I’m being pushed to the limits, I could just knock her block off, I can handle myself, if it was a bloke doing it, it wouldn’t even be an issue, but its a woman and mother of my children, I’m better than that. My kids have had to witness it for years, they even ask how i endure it without retaliating. But its my job to be their role model, not sport stars or entertainers. I stay composed, controlled. I was safer in Afghanistan or Iraq. It’s time for men to stand up and be more vocal. I’ll start it off.”

“Its not the violence although she has slashed my car tyres to stop me from leaving and has threatened me with a knife on many occasions. It’s the threats to kill herself, or ringing my work, or on many occasions showing up at work because I won’t do exactly what she asks. Several suicide attempts, what am i to tell my kids if I stay at work and she rings and tells me she’s taken an overdose and i keep working. The ambulance wont come on their own anymore when she loses it, the police have to come, because she is violent to the ambulance driver. I’d post videos, but I don’t want her identified on the internet. My kids have been embarrassed enough, they don’t need all their friends knowing.

I said I would start this off, all my friends on here know now, but no-ones going to use it to try get to me, most are smart enough to know better. Like I said if it was a male that was threatening me it wouldn’t be an issue, I did my time in conflict zones, I can handle myself. My pay goes into an account she controls, I get an allowance. I got my pay put into my own account awhile back and she went to our head office and made a scene, nearly got me sacked. So I changed it back to stop her going back. My boss has said to me how I manage to be early every day, get through my day and churn out a high standard work is beyond him. Never late, never take a day off, always try to be upbeat. I do what i do because i am my kids role model, not some sports star or celebrity, I set a standard, I tell them not to react, stay calm and I practice what I preach. (Source)

“I have encountered similar violence by a wife towards her husband and I can promise you, it’s no laughing matter. Especially when men are often brought up to never lift a hand up against a woman. Thankfully, they are no longer together, but she still has most custody of their beautiful little boy. She has gone out of her way to use the son to hurt him, but thankfully family, friends and even a judge has seen through her and have provided him with much needed support. He is a lovely dad who was snared by a vicious, vindictive woman” (Source)

Former Labor MP Kathryn Isobel Hay accused of emotionally abusing and intimidating her former husband over eight years (28 May 2024) Australia

Boyfriend beater didn’t think the law applied to her (January 2024) USA video

Male family violence victim recounts two-year ‘run-around’ to find support service in Victoria (27 April 2023)

Female prison reform boss is jailed for ‘worst case of coercive behaviour’ judge had ever seen (25 February 2023) UK

Domestic Abuse: Depp vs Heard. What did we learn? (1 December 2022)

The double whammy of being a survivor of domestic abuse who is blind and male (2 November 2021)

Woman, 44, jailed for beating her boyfriend with a dumb bell and a saucepan | Daily Mail Online (4 August 2021)

Abbey Clancy ‘punched’ Peter Crouch after baby got lost (yahoo.com) (28 May 2021)

Woman stabbed boyfriend and hit him with frying pan in row over sleep (15 February 2021) UK

Man, 35, whose ex poured acid over him as he slept reveals he ‘can’t pass one day’ without swearing at attacker (13 February 2021) UK

Dismissed, minimised and ridiculed: The harmful responses to male victims of rape  (30 April 2020)

Male domestic abuse victims seen as ‘under the thumb’ (21 April 2022)

Amber Heard hired P.I. to dig up dirt on Johnny Depp, but ‘fixer’ spoke to 100 people who all ‘couldn’t say enough about his generosity and tender heart’ (2 April 2020)

Amber Heard slammed for body-shaming Johnny Depp by calling him ‘fat’: ‘He looks much better after split’ (12 February 2020)

Johnny Depp and the dangers of ‘Believe Women’ (5 February 2020)

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‘I can’t promise I won’t get physical again, I get so mad I lose it.’ Amber Heard admits to ‘hitting’ ex-husband Johnny Depp (1 February 2020)

Stacey Dash – co-star of the movie ‘Clueless’ – arrested for domestic battery in Florida (1 October 2019) USA

Duluth worked even better than I expected (25 July 2019)

Florida woman, 21, ‘choked her boyfriend and squeezed his genitals until they bled’ (12 June 2019)

Mum hit boyfriend around head with crowbar after he dropped slice of pizza (23 May 2019) UK. Suspended sentence + 150 hours of community service.

Man stabbed in the neck in alleged domestic attack (15 April 2019) As others have pointed out, none of the articles about this incident used the term ‘domestic violence’ (as is now typically the case when men are injured or killed by their partners)

Male domestic abuse victims ‘suffering in silence’ (1 March 2019) UK

Doco reveals the horrific abuse man suffered at the hands of his controlling girlfriend (18 February 2019)

Nurse Michelle Fernandez banned after stab conviction (15 February 2019)

‘I was scared stiff and terrorised by my wife’: How more men are speaking up about being assaulted by their partners (28 November 2018) UK

Ken describes the abuse he suffered (27 September 2018) Video

Adelaide Hills woman runs man down in car (29 June 2018)

Glee star Naya Rivera charged with domestic violence against her husband (26 November 2017)

Sydney man stabbed in domestic incident (14 November 2017) Australia

Abused husband, 45, who suffered 12 years of beatings at hands of his hard-drinking teacher wife set up a spy camera to film her campaign of violence (8 September 2017) UK

Actor and domestic violence survivor Bryan Wiseman accuses police of homophobia (19 August 2017)

Abused husband reveals ‘drunk’ wife’s bloody car key attack (4 August 2017)

Domestic violence perpetrated by Australian women in the first half of 2017 (2 July 2017)

Actress Stephanie Davis arrested for ‘giving boyfriend Jeremy McConnell two black eyes’ in drunken row (4 July 2017) Reddit discussion thread and linked article

Fiancee stabbed me 28 times and left me hour away from death just weeks after asking me to marry her (27 May 2017) UK

Woman on the run two years after poisoning husband’s cereal to avoid having sex with him (6 March 2017) USA

SAPD: Officer issued bogus ticket to victim of assault to ‘f— him over,’ made racist joke (28 February 2017)

‘My intestines were out… and she was grabbing hold of them’: Man tells court how his ex-wife ‘tried to disembowel him with a carving knife’ (8 February 2017)

This is my story, as a male survivor of domestic violence (3 February 2017) Reddit discussion thread

Uptown woman arrested after kicking boyfriend’s face in front of police (17 January 2017)

Woman jailed for stabbing boyfriend because he ate all their chips (8 January 2017) UK

Woman spared jail for domestic abuse that left boyfriend in fear (20 December 2016) UK

Dad Abused By Wife Breaks Silence To Call James (9 December 2016) UK

First picture of designer boyfriend of arrested ‘Catwoman’ Jocelyn Wildenstein after she ‘slashed him with scissors’ and ‘poured hot wax on his face’ during late night brawl (8 December 2016)

The forgotten male victims of domestic violence (28 November 2016) China

Woman jailed for kicking her partner down the stairs (20 November 2016) UK

FIU’s Jonnu Smith out for season after suffering multiple burns (11 November 2016) USA, and here is one person’s comment re: that incident

A kiss for the wife who stabbed him 13 times (3 November 2016) UK

Businessman, 54, was branded with an iron and had pushed burning cigarettes up his nostrils every time he refused to have sex with his violent girlfriend (1 November 2016)

TV cop star arrested in domestic dispute (31 October 2016)

My wife emotionally abuses me … need advice (27 September 2016) Reddit discussion thread

Ex-husband of Labour’s domestic abuse Minister ‘still has nightmares about her’ after attack during divorce (25 September 2016) UK

West Virginian, 39, Put Out Cigarette In Her Boyfriend’s Eye, Police Charge (14 September 2016) USA

Furious bride-to-be, 24, bit her fiance’s ear and slashed his face with a broken glass (10 September 2016)

Women thought she was setting her ex-partners car on fire (7 September 2016) Video

Chalet holiday ended with drunken woman stabbing her boyfriend (4 September 2016)

ABC Life Matters story on male victims of domestic violence  (10 August 2016) Australia

Women on men domestic violence – Personal stories (24 July 2016) Video about a Chinese/American family

Woman charged after alleged reckless wounding (18 July 2016) Australia

Man writes about his controlling wife. Advice columnist rightly points out that if sexes were reversed, it would be labeled abuse (30 May 2016)

Wife Battered Husband Over Candy, Flowers (11 May 2016) USA

Domestic violence: Men are victims, too (25 April 2016) USA

Why are so many middle class wives beating up their husbands? FEMAIL explores why women are lashing out at their partners – and the horrifying consequences (24 March 2016) UK

Wife rips off her Romanian husband’s testicles with her bare hands (10 March 2016) Features this readers comment:

“Predictably the top comment is from a woman ridiculing the incident. He doesn’t sound a particularly great husband but would you have found it as amusing if a man had ripped off his wife’s breast because she wasn’t a good wife? Nope, didn’t think so. The comments here just show the gulf in society’s attitudes towards violence to men and women from the opposite sex.”

Sharon Edwards: Violent wife murdered lawyer husband (8 March 2016) UK

“The number of women convicted for domestic violence rose by 30% in the year to April 2015, from 3,735 to 4,866. It marks an upward trend – the number of convictions involving female perpetrators is now six times higher than it was ten years ago”

‘This is actually abuse’: My Kitchen Rules viewers slam Dee for ‘bullying’ husband Tim and tell him to divorce his domineering wife as #SaveTim trends online (1 March 2016) Australia. I have noticed a general pattern with these ‘reality’ style TV shows of women quite often being abusive towards male companions or male contestants in a way that would cause public outrage if the genders were reversed.

The dangers for men in domestic violence, by Jasmin Newman (8 February 2016) Australia

Police: Woman beat man with belt for not getting out of bed (4 February 2016) USA

Cops: Iowan, 33, Battered Husband When He Declined Her Request To Have Sex (25 January 2016) USA

Cops: Woman Attacks Fiancé Over Recycled Ring (13 January 2016) USA

Man’s girlfriend first ‘keys’ his car, breaks a window, and then tries to drive into him (9 January 2016) Video. USA

Statistics and stigma: The silence around men and domestic violence (24 November 2015) Australia

A Logan woman said she was not diminishing the problem of domestic violence against women, but wanted people to know that men also suffered abuse (24 October 2015)

False accusations preventing men from reporting domestic abuse – study finds (28 September 2015) UK

“The number of women convicted of perpetrating domestic abuse has more than quadrupled in the past ten years from 806 in 2004/05, to 3,735 in 2013/14”

‘Domestic violence against men is no laughing matter’: Lottery winner calls for protection of victims as he speaks out after being attacked by his former girlfriend (5 October 2015) UK

Men and their children, forgotten DV victims (21 September 2015) Australia with related reddit discussion thread here.

Man stabbed in head and leg during domestic fight in NSW (21 September 2015)

A Critique of Feminism: A Humanitarian Won’t be Silenced about Sexual and Domestic Violence (24 August 2015)

Submission #424 to the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence (28 May 2015)

Submission #757 to the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence

John Humphrys challenges Alison Saunders over ‘Violence Against Women & Girls (Crime Report)’ (25 June 2015)

We need to help individual victims of domestic abuse, whatever their gender (22 June 2015)

‘I had always been scared of my mum’: Breaking the cycle of violence (19 June 2015) Australia

Personal accounts by abused men (June 2015) Australia

Fine for throwing mug, butter knife at boyfriend (29 April 2015)

SA court told wife stabbed her husband, in front of sleeping son, after sexually complex relationship (28 April 2015)

Auburn woman who tortured family for years gets life in prison (20 April 2015)

Home violence not just at the hands of men (28 March 2015)

Jealous ex of footballer Erik Walden leaves their two children alone in car and breaks into his home threatening him and girlfriend with loaded gun before attacking them with bat and knife (21 March 2015)

Scalded husband: ‘No shame’ for male domestic abuse victims (13 March 2015) also covered in this Huffington Post UK article

We need to speak out for all victims of family violence, by Roger Smith (2 March 2015)

‘I’m a big, strapping bloke. Who would believe I was a victim of domestic abuse?’ (26 February 2015)

Woman mauled boyfriend with kitchen roll holder after penis prank backfired (19 February 2015)

Male victims of domestic violence (17 February 2015) Video

Columbia University professor who teaches peacekeeping skills to cops, firefighters is charged with assaulting boyfriend (17 February 2015) and related reddit mensrights discussion thread

GF has started getting violent on me. I left her today after she beat me. People’s reactions have been insane (8 February 2015) Reddit mensrights discussion thread)

The day my wife beat me up because she hated my haircut (26 January 2012)

Reddit men’s rights discussion thread created by a male victim of domestic violence (16 December 2014)

Male domestic abuse victim: I could have died after attack and Male domestic abuse victim: Men are scared to come forward (5 December 2014)

http://www.shrink4men.com/2014/10/05/in-his-own-words-scenes-from-an-abusive-marriage/

Man stabbed 13 times by girlfriend says she had history of attacking him (1 August 2014) USA

25 men subject to domestic abuse tell their stories (28 May 2014)

Enraged: Victoria Police’s response to violence towards men (February 2014)

The personal stories of two Victorian men

Good Op-Ed from a Norwegian newspaper about domestic abuse (1 September 2014)

Domestic violence: Male victim tell of wife’s abuse (15 June 2014)

Irish TV feature on male victims of domestic violence (June 2014)

My wife hugged me to say sorry for beating me up… then knifed me in the back (13 January 2011)

https://mencanbeabusedtoo.wordpress.com/ (also includes some comments about Elizabeth Broderick, former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner)

http://www.theshedonline.org.au/discussions/lifestyle-family-and-relationships/abusive-wife

http://www.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/2bxo3w/domestic_violence_and_scottish_law/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Jackson man stabbed during child custody dispute (missing words = domestic violence) (21 August 2014)
http://www.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1ir6aa/excellent_post_about_women_harmlessly_hitting_men/

In a comment he contributed to this article, Chad Tindale wrote:

“Police were once called because my girlfriend, at the time, was stabbing the bathroom door (behind which I was locked) with a knife. When the police arrived, she was still drunk, and still holding the knife. They told us to keep it down so that they didn’t have to come back… then they left me there… with her… with the knife. You’re not a hero when you rescue a man from a woman, so it’s often just easier to leave them there… leave them with her… with the knife.”

Men Aren’t Victims (Because Women Say So) (29 December 2014) and related Reddit mensrights discussion thread

Young people and domestic violence (2001) This government study includes an interesting comparison of the number of children who have witnessed dad hitting mum, and vice versa (incl. Table 4.23)

Coronavirus: Women most affected

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic the mainstream media followed what is by now a well-established script. That script is one involving playing down or ignoring the negative impacts of an issue or situation on men, whilst focusing on the perceived negative impacts on women. It also involves playing up the positive contribution of one gender over the other, with regards to fixing the problem. And if this sometimes involves misrepresentation, exaggeration or even fabrication – as it invariably does – well apparently, so be it.

Australia’s ABC is notable for the extent to which it embraces the leftist/feminist/woke perspective. On 17 March 2020 the ABC published an article about COVID-19 developments in Australia. Perhaps you might like to scroll down to the item about Hamilton Island.

That article mentions “a man diagnosed with coronavirus who recently travelled to Hamilton Island“. Actually it was a woman. Until this tourist travelled there, there were no other reported cases of COVID-19 in the region. The article also mentioned that the “ABC understands the patient recently travelled from New South Wales where they were first tested.“

A regional newspaper article published on 19 March 2020 (pay-wall protected) provides further/clearer details of the incident …

“A woman admitted to Mackay Hospital on Tuesday with coronavirus defied health orders and flew to Hamilton Island after being diagnosed with novel coronavirus in Sydney. It is understood the UK tourist, in her mid-30’s, was found on a Hamilton Island beach after NSW Health authorities alerted their Queensland counterparts”.

“She is understood to have told health authorities she did not understand the directive to self-isolate after testing positive to Covid-19“.

More broadly, domestic violence – or more specifically domestic violence against women – was presented in the media as being the major gender-related issue of the Covid-19 pandemic. I have addressed that topic, or at least an aspect of it, in another post.

Further items related to the impact of Covid-19 on women, and vice versa:

COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report (October 2024) This report is a triumph of pro-feminist ‘feels’ over facts. And no, there isn’t a chapter for *men* … scarcely a mention actually

NSW government caught discriminating against men, with phone call (12 December 2022)

‘Pretty privilege’ is real but it disappeared for women in Covid (5 December 2022)

The boy’s club is under siege, by Bettina Arndt (25 November 2022) Scroll down to paragraph 11

ABS reveals how Covid-19 pandemic impacted weddings and divorces last year (10 November 2022)

I hope the future isn’t female, by Janice Fiamengo (27 August 2022) Canada

Perth teenager allegedly punches nail salon customer after being asked to put on a mask (20 April 2022)

Covid has intensified gender inequalities, global study finds (3 March 2022)

Woman locked up for ten years after killing her ‘soulmate’ (1 March 2022)

‘A perfect storm’: Up to 70,000 women may have been coerced into withdrawing super (21 February 2022) Not one hint of men perhaps being abused in this manner (and no proof that women were).

OnlyFans model inundated with death threats after parking car on anti-vaxxer’s vehicle (14 February 2022)

SA woman allegedly paid vulnerable person to get Covid-19 vaccine in her name (27 January 2022)

Police arrest woman after she ‘refused to show her vaccine passport’ as she shrieks (13 January 2022)

Mum accused of locking Covid positive son in car boot (8 January 2022)

Woman strips and uses dress as face mask to buy ice cream (5 January 2022)

In this video a female passenger without a mask tells a male passenger without a mask to put one on – then hits him (December 2021)

Nanango IGA incident: Woman allegedly attacks cops over mask (20 December 2021)

Young, female and unemployed: economists most worried about women under 25 (24 November 2021)

“Genomic sequencing has traced the current Covid-19 outbreak in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to a 21-year-old Queensland woman who lied about her travels” (19 November 2021) Courier-Mail article

‘She’ll pay’: NT chief minister furious at woman who sparked lockdown, says she didn’t disclose Melbourne visit (7 November 2021)

Prominent anti-vaxxer deletes social media after family dons infamous anti-Semitic symbol (12 October 2021)

Maskless US teacher caught in shock classroom act (8 October 2021)

I’m a celeb worker charged with breaching public health orders in Byron Bay, sparking lockdown (22 September 2021)

Annette Roberts: Wangaratta travel agent jailed for selfish Covid act | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site (17 September 2021)

Sydney Covid-19 case stopped on train to regional NSW | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site (10 September 2021)

Covid-denier Karen coughing in Super Saver gets sacked | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site (10 September 2021)

Woman’s Facebook rant over NZ hotel quarantine meals | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site (3 September 2021)

Woman wanted for gross act at protest | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site (3 September 2021)

GOTCHA! Four-time border buster arrested in Warwick home – Australian Seniors News (27 August 2021)

Woman in car boot fined by QLD police at Goondiwindi border | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site (26 August 2021)

TikTok influencer Chloe Zsep loses followers after Big W mask act | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site (26 August 2021)

Covid-19 compliance: Lake Macquarie woman hit with big fine for breaching health order (news.com.au) (22 August 2021)

Melbourne lockdown: Three travellers fined for flying to Darwin without permits (news.com.au) (15 August 2021)

Sydney woman, 21, investigated over alleged lies on Newcastle trip (msn.com) (13 August 2021)

Two women fined after Sydney to Melbourne flight infected with Covid-19 (news.com.au) (12 August 2021)

Covid-19 vaccine: Suspected anti-vax nurse accused of delivering fake jabs (news.com.au) (12 August 2021)

Queensland Police hunting for woman who escaped hotel quarantine (4 August 2021)

What is FODA: Singles fear dating again after Covid (news.com.au) (3 August 2021)

Former nurse slammed for RIDICULOUS vaccine claims (msn.com) (3 August 2021)

Covid-19: ‘Entitled’ millennial’s fertility whinge angers Australia (news.com.au) (2 August 2021)

Sonya Anglin: Alleged Perth quarantine dodger breaks down in court (news.com.au) (30 July 2021)

Taylor Winterstein: Glamorous WAG protester films police serving her $1000 fine (news.com.au) (25 July 2021) Oh well, as long as she’s “glamorous”, then it’s OK I guess.

Sydney Covid-19: Paddington woman allegedly flew to Canberra (news.com.au) (11 July 2021)

Covid-19 Qld: Dramatic escape from Cairns hotel quarantine revealed (news.com.au) (6 July 2021)

Report no. 4: Impacts of COVID-19 on pregnancy and fertility intentions (July 2021) There’s a swathe of factors causing current low marriage/fertility rates, but let’s nominate a relatively obscure factor like Covid. As long as it doesn’t, in any way, jeopardise the feminist narrative of the moment.

Live breaking news: Sydney, Darwin, Perth, Brisbane lockdown, Queensland cases grow as hospital worker spreads virus (30 June 2021)

Charlotte Crosby poses nude in Australian hotel quarantine (news.com.au) (30 June 2021)

Woolworths investigates shopper’s toilet paper TikTok stunt | video (news.com.au) (29 June 2021)

Wondai woman charged with tampering with QR check in codes at pub | The Courier Mail (28 June 2021)

Buying a face mask in the market (but first you have to try them on, right?) (18 June 2021) Video

Covid Qld: Melbourne couple escape lockdown, positive test in Sunshine Coast (news.com.au) (9 June 2021)

Disaster patriarchy: how the pandemic has unleashed a war on women | Women | The Guardian (1 June 2021)

Melbourne: Protester filmed breathing on reporter identified (news.com.au) (1 June 2021)

Two sisters ‘escape quarantine in Northern Territory’ (9news.com.au) (31 May 2021)

Influencers face deportation over Bali face mask makeup prank (29 April 2021)

Bollywood stars slammed for fleeing India to Maldives during COVID crisis (28 April 2021)

Queensland’s historical COVID-19 case attended Byron Bay hen’s party (12 April 2021)

Woman charged with serious assault after coughing at and spitting on police (30 March 2021) Australia

Lyft Bans Maskless Uber Passenger Who Coughed On, Assaulted Driver (9 March 2021) USA

Woman, 23, faces Perth court after allegedly breaching quarantine directions ‘to visit boyfriend’ (28 February 2021)

Young women ‘dress up as grannies’ in bid to get COVID vaccine in Florida (20 February 2021)

Woman who lied about attending Perth funeral jailed for repeatedly breaching quarantine (19 February 2021)

Sydney woman attacks bus driver over mask request (9 February 2021)

Cronulla woman Jess Barca’s excuse after allegedly failing to self-isolate while on holiday in Byron Bay (4 January 2021)

Victoria Police arrest woman for evading border checkpoint (31 December 2020)

Woman who fled Perth hotel quarantine tests negative for COVID-19, faces possible jail sentence (27 December 2020)

Female MRA posting on Twitter provides some interesting charts (December 2020)

Rita Ora apologises for breaching lockdown rules for second time (8 December 2020)

Aberdare woman charged with 16 counts of bushfire, COVID-19 grants fraud (28 November 2020)

Victorian budget: Women ‘at heart of pandemic recovery’ (24 November 2020)

Budget: Pandemic-affected unemployed NSW women entitled to $5000 grant payment (18 November 2020)

Woman punches flight attendant for not wearing mask correctly (21 October 2020) USA

Easyjet passenger has tantrum on plane over mask (20 October 2020)

Woman accused of ‘breathing on’ pet shop staff after mask request (7 October 2020)

Pregnant woman tells court she is returning to domestic violence after being ordered back to Victoria (2 October 2020) But women don’t make false claims of domestic violence, right?

Revealed: How women have been left psychologically distressed by the Covid-19 pandemic (28 September 2020) UK

Budget 2020: It’s time to play “blokecovery” bingo (21 September 2020)

Coronavirus Australia: Blokes big winners under tax cut plan but women get screwed (16 September 2020) Oh, but let’s overlook a few issues that would undermine the feminist narrative …

Police say they expect to charge Natalie Bonett after she was dragged from car (13 September 2020)

Surfer with COVID-19 arrested at Spanish beach after breaking quarantine (10 September 2020)

Female workers feeling less confident than men during pandemic (9 September 2020)

Flight attendant called ‘mask nazi’ by angry passenger in ‘revolting’ note (7 September 2020)

Workers locked down in St Kilda hotel harassed ‘day and night’ by sex workers (28 August 2020)

Women admit skipping coronavirus hotel quarantine in Perth but say there was no party (20 August 2020)

Elijah Taylor’s girlfriend breaks her silence over quarantine breach (19 August 2020) Just how many more “really big mistakes” do we have to tolerate? It seems clear by now that the only mistake they truly appreciate is getting caught.

Two women escape hotel quarantine in Western Australia (18 August 2020)

Australian women are losing one year of progress for every month of the pandemic (18 August 2020) Occasionally provides male/female comparisons, as all such articles should … but rarely do.

Calls for female-focused budget as women face financial ‘gender disaster’ (16 August 2020)

Married At First Sight star Stacey Hampton arrested, charged for flouting coronavirus restrictions (14 August 2020)

Woman in jail after allegedly flouting WA quarantine rules (13 August 2020) Western Australia

COVID-19-positive woman leaves quarantine hotel, boards tram (13 August 2020) Victoria

58-year-old anti-masker charged with police assault after alleged affray at Frankston cafe (12 August 2020) And here is a later report providing further details … she was released on bail with no fine (28 August 2020)

‘He’s choking me!’: Victoria Police officer grabs woman by throat for not wearing face mask (11 August 2020) Looks like someone manufactured a videotaped incident for the media drawing together images of George Floyd’s death and a predictable response borne from Aussie chivalry. Hint: Next time try growing up, eschewing wokeness, wearing a mask and helping.

Woman infected with coronavirus breaks quarantine for manicure (10 August 2020) USA

Virus scare ripples through Noosa after teens return from Sydney (10 August 2020)

Teenage girl charged after allegedly spitting in police officer’s face (7 August 2020)

Victorian Premier, Police Commissioner shocked by ‘disgraceful’ conduct of anti-masker (4 August 2020) Australia

A woman who coughed on a brain tumor patient in a viral video has been charged with assault, police say (4 August 2020) USA

Police fine woman who allegedly coughed in officer’s face (3 August 2020)

Richmond’s Trent Cotchin’s wife Brooke Instagram post in $45,000 breach (1 August 2020) Because it’s important to take care of your skin.

Victorian woman accused of providing false information at Queensland border (1 August 2020)

Woman fined $4000 for failing to declare Sydney hot spot (31 July 2020)

Melbourne woman fined for not wearing a mask confronts police (29 July 2020)

Coronavirus Queensland: Two teens bring virus to state (29 July 2020) It began with the Chief Medical Officer labelling the women’s actions as “very disappointing”, and this was subsequently explained in this article, this article, and this article. And according to media reports their reason for visiting Melbourne included stealing expensive hand bags. Fools.

Are masks giving men a license to leer? Women report a rise in ‘aggressive eye contact’ (28 July 2020) Newsflash: Men are doing something wrong

Another woman harasses staff at Bunnings (27 July 2020) It remains to be seen whether the mask exemption certificate she claims to have had is legit or not.

A woman noisily objects to being asked to wear a mask in Bunnings, and is then later arrested (26 July 2020) Several linked Twitter posts with videos. She then proceeds to waste time/energy at a local post office (27 July 2020)

Melbourne woman threatens police after refusing mask (25 July 2020)

Conspiracy theorist slammed over ‘dumb’ stunt (24 July 2020) with updated article here. And later it was revealed she was a topless waitress. What? Not a rocket scientist?

Woman kicked off flight for refusing to wear face mask (24 July 2020)

Melbourne coronavirus case slammed for visiting Orbost while awaiting test results (21 July 2020) And as with the earlier Hamilton Island case, in some cases the media hid the fact that the offender was a woman, for e.g. calling her a “person from Melbourne” or simply a “traveller”.

Customer pelts shoe boxes at staff after being asked to wear a mask (12 July 2020)

20-year old Hobart woman arrested for alleged Covid-19 breach (11 July 2020)

Karen seeks to enforce social distancing (10 July 2020) Video

Sydney woman escapes coronavirus quarantine, attempts to board flights (10 July 2020)

Coronavirus lockdown prompts spike in women’s porn (10 July 2020) And as for the claim that women’s tastes in porn is not “grubby” like men’s … try searching on google for ‘women like more violent porn’, and you’ll find sources like this one.

Why are you angry if I wear a mask? (9 July 2020) USA video

‘Costco Karen’ throws tantrum over store’s face mask policy (7 July 2020) Video

Social media influencer Sarah Josephine Liberty fined for quarantine escape (6 July 2020)

Adelaide restaurant slams customer for breaking coronavirus rules (23 June 2020)

Sydney woman turns to OnlyFans after losing cafe job in coronavirus pandemic (2 June 2020) Pro-feminist news.com.au, which run stories like this almost daily, informs us that she’s since made a “huge amount of easy money”. But it’s ok because she “has opted not to do nudity”. Yup, would someone volunteer to confirm that and let me know the outcome?

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(You can read about the wit & wisdom of Clementine Ford here)

UK women bear emotional brunt of Covid-19 turmoil – poll (20 May 2020)

Nurse assaulted in ‘abhorrent’ spitting attack in Adelaide while walking to work (20 May 2020)

Outrage as woman drives an hour and a half with her family to the beach – then complains that others are doing the same! (19 May 2020) UK

Coronavirus Australia: Accused McDonalds spitter’s ‘disgusting’ act (18 May 2020)

The pandemic’s gender bias needs urgent fixing (14 May 2020) USA

Online and ICT-facilitated violence against women and girls during COVID-19 (May 2020)

Queensland beautician sells nudes when virus shuts down business (12 May 2020) How many of these articles is pro-feminist news.com.au going to produce? Click-bait beats the feminist narrative – feminist hypocrisy take a bow.

Coronavirus: Deadly bug has proven that women are the stronger sex (11 May 2020) UK. Well now you can relax a little … women are stronger

NYC nurse, 43, steals coronavirus patient’s credit card as he was on a ventilator three days before he died (8 May 2020)

The pandemic has revealed the weakness of strong men (6 May 2020)

Gold Coast influencer cries as coronavirus affects her income from OnlyFans (6 May 2020) Australia

Women dressed as nurses are stealing packages off porches, Washington state police say (5 May 2020)

New York woman, 27, is charged with attempted murder after she repeatedly stabbed her roommate who criticized her drinking during lockdown in their Upper East Side apartment (5 May 2020)

I lost my marketing job so now I sell sex online (5 May 2020) How empowering for her. All the STEM courses must have been full.

Raunchy celeb Instagram posts (2 May 2020) Blah, blah, blah

Girl charged with spitting on female bus driver (30 April 2020)

Covid’s War on Women (29 April 2020) “Domestic violence is up sharply according to a new research report” … amongst other things. (There’s more on the claimed surge in DV in this other post)

Sydney nurse spent $36k on credit cards stolen from unconscious patients (28 April 2020)

COVID-19’s Gender Gap (22 April 2020)

Woman coughs on officer who shut down birthday party (22 April 2020) USA

‘Disgusting behaviour’: Woman accused of ‘violent’ coughing and coronavirus claims refused bail again (21 April 2020)

Woman who deliberately coughed at police officer jailed for four months (21 April 2020) UK

This girl needs money (20 April 2020) Video by @shoeonhead

Mum’s violent outburst in western Sydney Woolworths shocks onlookers (19 April 2020)

Escort seeing seven men an hour in camper van – insisting it’s an ‘essential service’ (18 April 2020)

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… and in case you were wondering what ‘OnlyFans’ is all about (think, a newer variety of Hooking Lite)

Domestic abuse by female family members double in UK amidst lockdown (17 April 2020)

Tweet from Janice Fiamengo re: apparent gender bias in a Canadian Covid-related awareness campaign

Coronavirus Australia: Risque lingerie items we’re buying in lockdown (14 April 2020) Another riveting item prepared by female journalist, approved by female editor, and appearing in pro-feminist media outlet

Women bear brunt of hits to jobs, wages in shutdown, by Shane Wright (11 April 2020)

Disgraceful moment foul-mouthed teenage girls SPIT and cough at an Uber driver while claiming to have coronavirus (12 April 2020)

Coronavirus pandemic exacerbates inequalities for women, UN warns (12 April 2020)

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, Gender Advisor to the UN, shares her views on Coronavirus and men (12 April 2020) Note that her tweet was subsequently removed. Sounds like she should have the word ‘misandrist’ somewhere in her job title.

“It’s a free country” (12 April 2020) & in another incident … “A 20-year-old woman stopped in Port Macquarie gave police her twin sister’s details before police dropped her home with a warning. She refused to go inside, walked off, gave police the finger and was promptly handed a $1000 fine.”

‘Despicable’ University of Brighton lecturer, 55, avoids jail after spitting at police and telling them she has coronavirus when they arrest her (10 April 2020)

COVID-19: The bystander role has never been more critical in calling out (9 April 2020) That term, bystander, reminds me of this earlier post.

But what’s going on? There appears to have been a change of feminist tactics, as this is the 2nd paper I’ve read today admitting that there had been no boost in the number of calls from DV victims since the commencement of the pandemic.

No spike in domestic violence in Tasmania despite early warnings: police (9 April 2020) Whoops, now that’s awkward. And here’s an unconvincing attempt at recovery by a high-profile feminist spokesperson.

Queensland coronavirus quarantine flouter arrested after third breach (9 April 2020)

Woman eye gouges supermarket worker in NSW (9 April 2020)

Coronavirus: Influencer slammed for posing in bikini made out of ‘used’ face masks (9 April 2020)

Life in lockdown: Sales of pyjamas more than double (8 April 2020)

Police hunting Texas teen who boasted about spreading coronavirus (7 April 2020)

Why women are better than men at beating the coronavirus (4 April 2020)

Hundreds of domestic violence victims in ‘terrifying situation’ of being locked in with abusers (3 April 2020) The only article that I have seen on this theme that mentions male victims. That certainly marks some progress, at least

Coronavirus US: Influencer defends travelling to Florida amid pandemic (3 April 2020) To my way of thinking an influencer educates or inspires, rather than demonstrating solipsism or selfishness.

Instagram influencer Arielle Charnas publishes tearful video message after testing positive for coronavirus and visiting the Hamptons (3 April 2020)

Woman charged after coughing on people (2 April 2020)

“At 9.20am yesterday, a woman was walking south along Sharp Street, Cooma, in NSW, when she allegedly stepped in front of another woman and intentionally coughed in her direction. The woman allegedly continued to cough at members of the public as she walked past them, including a woman with a young child.”

Malaysia apologises for telling women not to nag during lockdown (1 April 2020) Many recent articles express sympathy & frustration on behalf of women forced to isolate with men who (allegedly might) beat them, or at least don’t wash more dishes. But sympathise with men who have to put up with nagging or condescending women …. ooh no …that’s some serious #misogyny. Stop it now, you hear?

“More young women in their 20s have tested positive for the coronavirus in Australia than any other age or sex group, according to Health Department data. The surprising find has been put down to their active social lives and higher likelihood of travelling overseas, according to an exclusive report by The Australian.” (1 April 2020)

Tellingly, media outlets like The Guardian reported this as ‘young people’ rather than “young women”. Most of those that didn’t (initially), either amended online copy or removed it within hours of publication.

Woman arrested and fined in South Australia for breaching coronavirus border controls (29 March 2020)

Coronavirus Australia: Woman charged after spitting on officer during vehicle stop (28 March 2020)

Coronavirus: Woman faces terrorism charges after coughing on groceries (27 March 2020) USA

Woman cops $1,000 fine after ignoring orders to self-isolate (27 March 2020) Australia. Good, #PussyPass denied

Is online shaming of COVID-19 rebels effective? Maybe, but not for everyone (25 March 2020) Canada. No mention of gender differentials in this article.

Coronavirus: Woman who returned from overseas with virus begged to keep it secret (25 March 2020)

Bella Hadid shares coronavirus advice while eating burrito topless (25 March 2020) The view of her breasts is somehow important, right?

21st birthday party guests infected with COVID-19 after case linked to Aspen ski trip (24 March 2020)

Brit abroad dragged from pool and arrested for breaking quarantine in Spain (24 March 2020) Surely a strong independent woman.

Self-Isolation Means Many Women Will Be Trapped With Their Abuser (24 March 2020) Just forget about male victims of abuse, OK? It’s just such a rare aberration – not worth worrying about.

Porn star offers to have sex with scientist who discovers a cure for Coronavirus (23 March 2020)

Woman coughs in man’s face after refusing to comply with COVID-19 social distancing (March 2020)

Coronavirus porn is a thing, and of course it is (20 March 2020)

Do I Need to Stop Sleeping With New Guys Because of the Coronavirus? (19 March 2020)

‘The coronavirus is killing far more men than women‘, ‘Majority of NYC’s coronavirus cases are men between 18 and 49 years old’ (20 March 2020), a Janice Fiamengo video entitled ‘More men die: Women most affected‘, and ‘Doctor’s Note: Why are more men dying from Coronavirus?‘ (6 April 2020). Ooh, I hope I don’t break the spell by injecting a measure of reality here.

‘I’m young. I feel my body can handle it’: Tourists ignore social distancing plea (20 March 2020)

‘I have the coronavirus and now so do you,’ a woman allegedly told police as she breathed on them (18 March 2020)

Women Are Hit Hardest By Coronavirus Shutdowns – You Can Help (18 March 2020)

‘I was shamed for not self-isolating after a ski-trip to Aspen‘ (17 March 2020) I assume that this women at least did not test positive for the virus – or at least not prior to being ‘shamed’.

“Seriously people, this is not the time for judging, finger pointing or shaming. Our world is in uncharted territory, we are all desperately trying to filter through the mass of news we’re consuming eager to decipher what works for us and our families.”

Yes, similar to the way feminists refrain from finger-pointing at, or shaming, men. All the time. Oh please, spare us the tunnel-vision!

Business booming for cam girls amid coronavirus outbreak (14 March 2020)

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1238393990262804480?s=20

Travel influencers say coronavirus is ‘impacting income massively’ (13 March 2020)

Coronavirus: Women could be disproportionately exposed to outbreak, experts warn (12 March 2020)

Thousands march in Spain on women’s day despite coronavirus fears (9 March 2020)

This ‘isn’t Mad Max,’ Australian police say after 3 women get into a brawl while panic-buying toilet paper during coronavirus epidemic (8 March 2020)

Did We Forget to Memorialize Spanish Flu Because Women Were the Heroes? (18 February 2019) Women also most affected by earlier pandemics

But I don’t want to wear a mask (undated UK video shown on Twitter)

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Don’t read (or listen to) the following items unless you’re prepared to risk popping the feminist soap bubble in relation to Covid-19:

I hope the future isn’t female, by Janice Fiamengo (27 August 2022)

Female leaders found to be no better in Covid crisis (1 January 2021)

Men urged to come forward and report domestic abuse (24 November 2020) UK

Men’s jobs, pay hit harder than women’s (20 October 2020) Australia

Payne defends budget measures as gender neutral (19 October 2020)

Women, older Australians were most likely to receive the Morrison government’s $750 stimulus payments (16 September 2020)

Men hit harder by virus than women, study finds (30 August 2020) But of course the difference has to be due to failure/s on the part of men (scroll to the end).

Covid-19 and female leaders (20 August 2020) with a further Twitter discussion thread here

Lack of men’s health strategies may have cost lives in pandemic (19 June 2020) 

The elusion of men (8 June 2020) U.K. Video

Covid-19 update on health care professionals (17 May 2020) USA

Men who catch coronavirus are more than twice as likely to die from the disease as women, study shows (29 April 2020)

Less than half of confirmed COVID-19 cases are male, so why are more men ending up in B.C. hospitals? (24 April 2020) If more women were dying, can you imagine a health spokesperson describing the situation as “interesting”?

They lived in a factory for 28 days to make millions of pounds of raw PPE materials to help fight coronavirus (24 April 2020) “They” being 43 guys … oops.

Male health care professionals in U.S. make up 62% of all COVID-19 HCP deaths but only represent 25% of health care professionals (19 April 2020)

‘The coronavirus is killing far more men than women‘ and ‘Majority of NYC’s coronavirus cases are men between 18 and 49 years old’ (20 March 2020)

A Janice Fiamengo video entitled ‘More men die: Women most affected‘ and a tweet re: apparent gender bias in a Canadian Covid-related awareness campaign

‘Doctor’s Note: Why are more men dying from Coronavirus?‘ (6 April 2020)

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A few observations in relation to yet another article critical of men

The mainstream media is awash with articles infused with anti-male bias. Indeed after being conditioned through decades of exposure to this material, most people accept what they are told. In comparison to most of those articles, the focus of this post regarding alleged male risk-taking behaviour is admittedly rather benign. Indeed, if taken at face-value it appears to be sympathetic to the welfare of men & boys.

Examined more closely however the article reflects the contrasting and hypocritical manner in which the media addresses men’s & women’s issues.

The same day I noticed this article I came across another in a similar vein. That article mocks men in relation to another trait associated with masculinity – demonstrating protective behaviour towards women.

No there is nothing controversial about shaming men – just men – about pretty much anything nowadays. That’s kind of my point. And the article isn’t so much about “asking why“, but telling us why … apparently men are foolish.

And oddly, whilst this is an article about men’s behaviour, it begins with an account of the drowning of a 23 month old toddler. This seems to infer that even very young boys are dying due to masculinity-induced recklessness. Presumably female toddlers are more careful.

As the article is relatively brief, I’ll provide it here in its entirety:

‘Drownings blamed on men’s risky behaviour‘ (The Australian, 30 December 2016)

“The twin brother pulled unconscious from a Sydney swimming pool has died three days after his sister, in what has been described as a “deeply disturbing” week for water deaths.

Charli and Robbi Manago, 23 months, had been fighting for life in The Children’s Hospital at Westmead since they were found in their family’s pool around 7pm on December 20. The hospital last night confirmed Robbi had died.

His death takes the number of coastal and inland waterway fatalities since Sunday to 11. Nine of the dead were men.

Experts say a deadly cocktail of conditions — male bravado, consistent warm weather, and a poor understanding of water dangers — has led to the deaths.

As police and volunteers return to Sydney’s Maroubra Beach to find the body of missing teenager Tui Gallaher and search a Wagga river in the south of NSW for a 42-year-old man, experts have warned people not to overestimate their abilities.

Between 80 and 90 per cent of drowning victims are male, according to recent figures.

Four people died on Boxing Day, including 60-year-old Geoffrey Blackadder, who died trying to save young relatives from a rip on the NSW north coast, and 25-year-old Amine Hamza, who died after swimming with friends at Bents Basin in Sydney’s west.

“It’s deeply disturbing. Men are more likely to overestimate their swimming ability and underestimate how dangerous conditions are,” said Justin Scarr, chief executive at the Royal Life -Saving Society Australia.

“Men are more likely to swim in locations away from lifeguards and crowds, and they’re also more likely to consume ­alcohol.””

As you can see, the premise of the article is that substantially more men die from drowning due to those men taking excessive and presumably avoidable risks.

May I ask you, when was the last time you saw a headline “X blamed on women’s risky behaviour”? Where ‘X’ might have been death/rape/injury/cosmetic surgery/whatever. 1965? That’s because journalists know that when they discuss any such situations they must, at all costs, avoid be called-out for ‘victim-blaming’. And yet the same consideration is not on offer when men are the victims. Gender equality when it suits?

The assertion that drowning deaths result from men taking undue risks appears unproven. The examples of swimming outside the flags and drinking are provided, although neither of these behaviours are exclusive to men.

There are other possible explanations for a gender variation in deaths, particularly the likelihood that men venture into the water more often, and for longer periods, than do women. Clearly those who don’t go to the beach, or who lie on their towels 95% of the time, are less likely to drown in the ocean.

All outdoor activities have some degree of inherent risk, i.e. they are all “risky”. Given that men are significantly more likely than women to participate in almost all forms of outdoor recreation, they are clearly more likely to be injured or killed participating in such activities. One of the few exceptions is netball, a sport recognised as having a low risk of drowning.

If a significant number of drowning deaths were due to medical emergencies then it would make more sense to focus on men’s health, than male shaming. It is likely that some of the male drowning deaths were also the result of men attempting to rescue others.

For the purpose of this discussion let’s concede that “risky behaviour” (to be defined) may indeed result in more men drowning than women. And of course it would be preferable that those tragedies not occur. But before rushing to judgement let’s also consider the issue of risk-taking by men in a broader context.

Men tend to take more risks than women, and this risk-taking results in a range of both positive and negative impacts on society. On the positive side I would go so far as to propose that risk-taking by men has been and continues to be the powerhouse of civilisation.

Need someone to step forward to defend a woman being attacked? Men are expected to step forward, and are shamed if they do not. Need someone to defend a country from attack? Ditto.

In Australia 97% of workplace deaths involve men – around 175 people in 2016. Men working in dangerous and unpleasant jobs that women generally won’t accept. Where is the outrage about the risks these men take in providing necessary services to the community?

Based on media coverage, or lack thereof, it would appear that men taking risks in the name of chivalry, industry and national service is acceptable if not expected. In contrast, men taking risks during their leisure hours is unacceptable and worthy of negative media attention.

Men don’t deserve to be shamed for exhibiting the trait of risk-taking, nor for choosing not to do so. In fact greater recognition that male risk-taking more often benefits society would seem appropriate.

Sure there will be times when some men deserve a thoughtful journalistic rap over the knuckles, but this should not be the default position. Similarly there are times when women’s behaviour merits a commensurate sanction. At the moment however women are rarely subject to criticism, are encouraged to take risks, and the blame for any negative repercussions more often placed at the feet of men.

It’s time everyone got on the same page with gender equality, and recognised that there should be one standard to which we are all held. And that support and empathy should be consistently applied and gender-blind. Anything less will see more of the same unfortunate and divisive gender bias that now permeates the mainstream media.

See also:

Reader posts in a related Reddit discussion thread here

Former senior judge Richard Gee latest to die in summer drowning tragedy (3 January 2016)

Further related blog posts that may be of interest include:

On chivalry

Persistent pro-feminist and anti-male bias in the mainstream media

On masculinity and ‘real men’

How men are portrayed … Haw Haw Haw! The jokes on us

Women are held accountable for … (say hello to the Teflon Gender)

Men do more of most things … get a target painted on their backs

On being male or female (incl. innate differences, stereotyping and so on)

Australian 2016 Federal Election: No party willing to step up to the mark for men & boys

The last Australian federal election was held on 2 July 2016, and was ultimately (narrowly) won by the Liberal Party/National Party Coalition.

This post concerns those gender-related policy positions adopted by the three main players during the campaign: the Australian Labor Party (ALP), the Liberal Party/National Party Coalition (LNP), and The Greens.

In another blog post I provide details regarding the relevant positions adopted by some of the minor parties.

Gender issues did not feature amongst the key issues debated during the election campaign. The one specific gender-related issue which was aired was domestic violence. With that in mind, let’s look at what the major parties had to say on that topic:

The Domestic Violence statement provided in the ALP web site can be found here. The number of times the terms ‘men’ or ‘male’ (e.g. male victims) feature in this document = 0

The Domestic Violence statement within the Liberal Party web site is accessible here. The number of times the terms ‘men’ or ‘male’ (e.g. male victims) feature in this document = 1. That sole mention refers to the contentious ‘Mensline’ counselling service – read more about Mensline here.

The Domestic Violence statement in the National Party web site is here. The number of times the terms ‘men’ or ‘male’ (e.g. male victims) feature in this document = 0

The Greens Domestic Violence Policy is here. The number of times the terms ‘men’ or ‘male’ (e.g. male victims) feature in this document = 0. By way of contrast, the word ‘women’ features 31 times.

None of the major parties have shown any interest in addressing issues that detrimentally affect men and boys. None of them have issued significant statements in support of male victims of domestic violence, nor have they made reference to female perpetration of violence.

The major parties are essentially all in lockstep with the feminist movement, the only area of divergence being the amount of money that each is willing to relegate to/waste on feminist causes.

Amongst the major parties, the Greens offer the most ardently pro-feminist perspective, with the ALP running a close second. It was the Greens, for example, who were the driving force behind the current federal Inquiry into Domestic Violence and Gender Inequality.

The federal budget released by the Government in May 2016 represented the first salvo in the election campaign:

“In this Budget the Government has allocated $100.0 million over three years for Domestic and Family Violence: New Initiatives To Break the Cycle of Violence. This builds on the $101.2 million provided for a Women’s Safety Package announced by the Government in September 2015 (detailed in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Year Outlook 2015–16). This measure will draw on the recommendations of the Third Action Plan (part of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–22), due for release in mid-2016. [Footnote]” (Source)

Further details of what were proposed and some related background information are provided at:

Domestic and family violence budget review 2016-17
The number of times the terms ‘men’ or ‘male’ (e.g. male victims) feature in this document = 0. Again, by way of contrast, the word ‘women’ features 28 times.

Budget Paper No. 2. Part 2 Expense measures. Social Services (See Domestic and Family Violence — new initiatives to break the cycle of violence)

With respect to media coverage, the first relevant item I noticed discussed one particular funding measure announced by the Government … see ‘Family violence legal aid boost of $30 million won’t solve crisis: Lawyers‘ (12 May 2016). As is essentially ‘par for the course’ , the article implies that all victims of domestic violence are female.

The next cab off the rank was the ALP in ‘Federal Election 2016 Campaign: Bill Shorten promises $65 million funding boost to family violence services‘ (14 May 2016)

“Labor will provide funding certainty to frontline family violence organisations if it wins government, Bill Shorten has promised. The Opposition Leader has committed $65 million over six years to ensure 1800 RESPECT, Our Watch and Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) can continue their work in tackling family violence.”

Again, each of the major Australian political parties is unambiguously pro-feminist, regardless of how overtly they choose to express it. At this point none of these parties have chosen to raise awareness of, or to provide practical support for, male victims of domestic violence.

During an otherwise tedious and predictable campaign at least Mark Latham entertained via poking pins into feminist/white knight thought bubbles.

Further coverage of gender issues during the campaign:

Feminist group ‘Fair Agenda‘ compiled their own scorecard on how the parties stack up in relation to domestic violence. You can probably guess that their criteria differ from my own.

Here is the election wish-list of another feminist group, the ‘Australian Women Against Violence Alliance‘. They sent me a tweet stating “All victims should have access to support” yet there is no mention of male victims here.

Suicide prevention funding not reaching men says Labor senator (16 June 2016)

Bill Shorten speech launching Labor’s gender equality policy (11 June 2016) Bill uses the word ‘men’ five times versus 55 times in the case of ‘women’. Whilst Australian women get reassurance, support and encouragement, the men get this:

“men who have harmed them and their children”
“men rely on women for childcare”
“childcare remains a responsibility that Australian men too often unfairly leave to Australian women”
“25 per cent of women nominate a lack of childcare as their reason for leaving the workforce. In the case of men, it is 3 per cent.”
“It is primitive and wrong that women are paying the mortgage on houses occupied by men who have harmed them and their children”

The ALP sees providing a myriad of policies to support women whilst providing none to address men’s issues as “gender equality”. But wait, there’s more.

Bill goes on to state that “Australia cannot afford six Liberal years of ‘budgets for blokes’.” Seriously Bill? You mean all that money lavished on the Ministry of Men’s Affairs? Oh wait, there isn’t one is there? In fact all I can see is hundreds of millions poured into organisations like these.

**I challenge Bill or any other ALP politician to add a comment to this post providing examples of current federal budgetary allocations which they feel only benefit “blokes”**

Bill has also promised a hand-out for women’s health. Real men don’t get sick right, mate? {insert gratuitous joke about ‘man-flu’ here}

What might political parties include in their electoral platforms if, you know, they gave a damn about men and boys? In this paper a fellow put forward some ideas in relation to the  2015 UK election.

Female journalists expose barrage of federal election sexist abuse (1 July 2016) With just one example of alleged abuse provided in this and the linked article, and no details provided regarding online abuse of male reporters, it’s hardly convincing case of a campaign of gendered trolling.

Despite the rhetoric, this election fails the feminist test (28 June 2016) The word ‘women’ appears 17 times in this piece by rusted-on feminist Eva Cox (‘men’ = 0 btw). But it’s ok, as we are reassured that “feminist issues are about a better society for all, not just advancing women in a male defined world”. And while feminists want more, they are being offered a veritable buffet compared to the situation for men/boys.

“While both the Liberal Party and the Labor Party have issued women’s policy documents, these are strong on equality rhetoric but short on the continuing gender inequities, instead offering some funding to fix service problems.” What a shame that the dog chewed the corresponding men’s policy documents.

Election 2016: Labor commits $88 million to provide safe houses for domestic violence victims (11 June 2016)

The f-word enters the campaign and trips up both major parties (8 June 2016)

Malcolm Turnbull declares himself a feminist and chokes up over his family history, Turnbull finds it easy to declare himself a feminist, and Grandfather PM talks up the power of girls (6 June 2016)

Australian Brotherhood of Fathers election campaign round-up (2 June 2016)

Gender differences in voting intentions in the current campaign as of 16 May 2016

Gender differences in voting patterns in previous Australian elections

‘Powerful coalition of women call for both parties to stop their war on women‘ (17 May 2016) The election campaign demands of one feminist organisation (WEL)

Why neither party should ignore gender in this election (13 May 2016)

Domestic violence: Rosie Batty launches Australian election campaign push (5 May 2016)

Finally, a quick glimpse of what’s happening in the U.S Presidential campaign: here and here. This UK article is entitled ‘Why are men’s issues consistently ignored in electoral manifestos?‘  (29 May 2017)

Here is Bill Shorten’s take on domestic violence – notice how much attention he offers re: male victims. (July 2017)

It looks like the 2019 federal campaign may see gender issues given a higher profile, though I suspect purely employing the feminist perspective. Here was the first shot fired … (more details here)

Shorten promises $400 million to boost women’s superannuation (19 September 2018)

Elsewhere in this blog you might also be interested in the following posts:

Partners in alms: A primer on the ‘Domestic Violence Industry’

Australian taxpayer-funded organisations that do little/nothing for men (other than demonising them)

Dealing with mens issues – The current situation in Australia

Sadly, Australian politicians only find the courage to criticise the feminist lobby after they retire

On suicide

One of the defining features of the present-day feminist is their lack of compassion for the welfare of men/boys. This was again driven home to me this morning when I read an article ‘Suicide isn’t just an older man’s problem‘ (sub-titled ‘Suicide is increasing among young people, especially women‘).

The topic of men is dispensed with in a single paragraph (para 8):

“Historically, suicide in Australia has been largely seen as a male problem, with men, particularly middle-aged men, frequently identified as a high risk in our national strategies. Projects have focused on workplaces such as the construction industry, and men’s information resource centres. In men over the age of 25, rates are higher than those among younger women; however, with the exception of men aged between 55 and 64, these rates appear to be relatively stable.”

The bulk of the article is about women and young women, and how serious the problem of suicide is for them.

In this article today the authors only acknowledge the issue obliquely, by way of saying that ‘yes it’s a thing, but it’s not just about men’ … before proceeding to make it all about women. Seriously?

And so we have a serious social problem that disproportionately affects men, but which is largely ignored in feminist literature. On the odd occasion the male suicide issue is mentioned, the problem is essentially blamed on men, for e.g. masculinity, and the pressure imposed by gender roles.

A common theme is that the key to better means mental health is men opening up and talking to people. Oftentimes this is expressed in a simplistic and sometimes condescending way, viz. if only men would act more like women … problem solved.

Yes many, but not all, men might benefit from verbalising their concerns, but much more than that is needed. Systemic and cultural changes that acknowledge the value of men, and initiatives to address the myriad issues raised elsewhere in this blog. Measures that would act as a counterweight to the prevailing gynocentric bias. That’s the scale of action required to make substantial progress towards a remedy.

Oh, and take a look at this article in The Guardian … “Figures show more than one in 10 prison suicides are by women”. The other nine? Nothing to worry about.

ImageSee also:

Is the Mental Health Profession Sexist Towards Men? (15 October 2024) Video with Warren Farrell

The epidemic of male suicide in Australia, by Augusto Zimmermann (15 August 2024)

Rising number of domestic abuse victims taking their own lives, figures suggest (14 March 2024) Zero mention of the gender ratio of victims

Narrow escape for Lisa Wilkinson (25 November 2023) Scroll down to the section dealing with an ABS suicide chart

Lynching of men is our national sport, by Bettina Arndt (11 November 2023)

Australia is in the grips of a health epidemic we’re ignoring, despite the potentially fatal consequences (15 October 2023) No mention of gender differences in this article, which is now typical for the MSM. Unless the picture that would be portrayed supported feminist principles, then gender is rendered invisible.

Child abuse involving a female perpetrator is more likely to lead to suicide (30 May 2023) Twitter thread

A Researcher Studied The Most Common Last Words Of Suicidal Men (2 April 2023)

Man who jumped to death at Disneyland was principal accused of child endangerment (5 December 2022)

The true cause of male suicide (20 September 2022)

Only 16% of Washington’s Social Workers are Male – and It’s a Real Problem (15 July 2022)

Girlfriend told man to ‘kill himself’ before he committed suicide (8 April 2022)

Suicide by domestic violence: call to count the hidden toll of women’s lives (27 February 2022) Little mention of the fact that many men also die by suicide as a result of their victimisation. Indeed it’s claimed that 90% of suicides as a result of DV are female.

Why would you stand up for men and boys? Milgram’s message of hope to male psychology (2 December 2021)

If More Men Are Seeking Help for Mental Health, Why Are So Many Dropping Out of Therapy? — The Latch (15 June 2021)

Men’s Dropout From Mental Health Services: Results From a Survey of Australian Men Across the Life Span – Zac E. Seidler, Michael J. Wilson, David Kealy, John L. Oliffe, John S. Ogrodniczuk, Simon M. Rice, 2021 (sagepub.com) (27 May 2021)

Man cleared of rape killed himself fearing ‘rapist’ label would ‘never go away’ (17 February 2021) UK

If we’re serious about reducing male suicide, we need to stop blaming men for their own despair (10 September 2020) UK

Where is the honesty in the discussion around male suicide? (10 September 2020)

Suicide rate for men reaches its highest level in two decades (1 September 2020)

The difference between male and female suicide resulting from an accusation being made (17 February 2020) Re: Caroline Flack’s death

Middle-aged men make up the largest age-specific increase in suicides, but we can learn from history (13 February 2020) Australia

New suicide plan based on lived experience (29 January 2020) Australia. But more than half of this $64 million is to be spent on at-risk women … see comment from Australian Men’s Health Forum.

Suicides in the UK: 2018 registrations (3 September 2019)

White-washing the truth about why men kill themselves, by Bettina Arndt (10 July 2019) Recommended reading

Research confirms 5 uncomfortable facts about young male suicide (March 2019) Australia

Feminist, Chidera Eggerue, doesn’t have time to worry about male suicide (Tweet dated 14 March 2019) See also this tweet dated 13 March.

What makes a man suicide? Rambling on traditional expectations and suicide (9 March 2019)

Intimate partner problems and suicide: are we missing the violence? (January 2019)

University accused of hiding suicide data is UWE Bristol – the same Uni that last month blocked a men’s officer who wanted to campaign on male suicide. Draw your own conclusions (28 November 2018)

Regarding the suicide of Anthony Bourdain – most probably linked to his relationship with Asia Argento (13 September 2018)

Julia Gillard achieves the impossible (22 June 2018)

QLD Election FactCheck: are ‘up to 21 fathers’ dying by suicide every week? (15 November 2017) “Suicide is a complex phenomenon that has multiple causes and should never be attributed to one factor alone” and so is Domestic Violence, and yet feminists are content to blame that on gender inequality alone.

Note the readers comments incl. this one:

“It does not surprise me that suicide among men is increasing. Forty a week is a national disgrace and the Family Court of Australia is a big part of this problem.My divorce took all my capital and reduced my ability to pay maintenance. It took my super, used to pay off the mortgage, after saying I could keep my super if my wife could keep hers. I put her through university, typed all her assignments and even writing some so that she could become a lawyer and use the system to screw me. When my wife failed to allow access to my daughter for weekends and holidays, I was told by the Family Court of Australia that it did not enforce court orders, “and especially not for men”.

I have not even spoken on the telephone with my daughter for more than fifteen years because her mother hangs up when I ring. I have a court order specifying alternate weekends and weekly phone calls. My daughter is now in her twenties and until two months ago I was still paying maintenance. I was down south a few weeks ago and was roundly abused as an MCP by one virago because I stepped back and allowed her to enter the lift first. In a modern society where few people seem to have any knowledge of good manners, life is sometimes confusing and disadvantaged.”

Dozens of construction workers dying or facing serious injury each year because of suicide attempts (9 July 2017)

“Griffith University-based clinical psychologist Jacinta Hawgood said the macho culture of mining and construction was playing a key role in the stark statistics. “While women will talk to each other about difficulties, men often will not ask each other ‘are you OK?,’’ she said.”

Male suicide has nothing to do with politics. Apparently, by Corrine Barraclough (6 July 2017)

7 Truths Feminists Must Accept About Male Suicide, by Corrine Barraclough (26 June 2017)

Michelle Carter found guilty by judge in text message suicide case (16 June 2017) USA

Corrine Barraclough: Piecing together the pain of loss for men after abortion (3 June 2017)

Australian men aged over 85 have the highest rate of suicide, ABS data shows (30 May 2017)

The Truth About Custody Disputes, Suicide And Compassion, by Corrine Barraclough (22 May 2017)

The rise of the ‘sad dad’ is not a divorce trend, but a gendered one (21 May 2017) Feminists say men should be more like women and express their emotions, but when they do they are mocked and accused of playing to the audience.

Men, Prisons, Separation and Suicide (12 May 2017)

Deaths of despair stalk millennials in an unforgiving job market (19 April 2017)

Maine Democrats at ‘Values and Vision’ gathering erupt in laughter at white male suicide (14 April 2017) USA

Suicide, Ms Gillard? You can’t handle the truth, by Corrine Barraclough  (4 April 2017)

Women’s Day Off, by Karen Mac Fly (March 2017)

“I do not think the high rates of suicide and depression in men can solely be attributed to unjust laws that put men into situations where they see no reason to go on living, or the general misandry spread in the media. These are but the tangible results of modern women’s callous attitudes towards men.”

We must not allow suicide to become normalised (16 February 2017) See readers comments, particularly in relation to author’s decision to focus on young women.

Time to Talk Day: the mental health statistics you need to know (2 February 2017)

Stop telling men to show their emotions (3 December 2016) Excellent Reddit discussion thread with more than 200 posts

In 2015, there were 3,027 people who died by suicide — 2,292 were men and 735 were women. Guess which of those two numbers the ABC finds more worrying (28 September 2016) Australia

Women’s mental health needs ‘not considered adequately’ (25 September 2016) UK

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In Men, Depression is Different: Symptoms—and help—are unlike what women experience (19 September 2016)

The rules men live by are killing them: Here’s how we can help, by Shae Elise Allen (19 September 2016)

Let’s talk about male suicide, by Corrine Barraclough (10 September 2016) Australia

Why Our Suicide Prevention Strategies Are Failing To Stop Male Suicide (9 September 2016)

Making sense of male suicide in Australia (27 July 2016)

Does the NUS have a man problem? (31 May 2016) UK

Seven ways to understand male suicide in Australia (26 May 2016)

Facts and stats about suicide in Australia (March 2016)

What do we do now that suicide rates among young women are on the rise? (14 March 2016) It must have burned Jenna Price (‘Destroy the Joint’) to mention the word men (once) in a role other than as perpetrator of evil. Jenna thinks there needs to be more kindness shown, but presumably not the variety of kindness that radfem’s of her ilk shower on CIS-Het white men who constitute the bulk of suicides.

NewAccess can help Aussie men in pain (11 March 2016) Australia

Hard times: the suicide scourge among Australia’s tradies (5 March 2015)

No. of suicides in Japan drops below 25,000 for first time in 18 years (18 January 2016) Of those who killed themselves in 2015, 16,641 were men and 7,330 women.

International Men’s Day Debate in UK Parliament 2015 (23 November 2015)

Robert Whitley: Why men commit suicide (19 November 2015)

Male University of York Student Commits Suicide on Day His University Ditches International Men’s Day After Pressure From Feminists (18 November 2015)

Tactical burying of men’s issues (16 November 2015) Reddit mensrights discussion thread and here is a deleted comment from that thread

Male suicide now a national public health emergency, MPs warned (5 November 2015) UK

Gender, gender everywhere…but not in this study (3 November 2015) Reddit post pointing out yet another example of a MRM article where gender is not specified as men are the most detrimentally affected

Middle-aged male suicide rate rises by 40 per cent since 2008 (30 October 2015)

A record 564 people committed suicide in New Zealand in the past year (6 October 2015) Male suicides trending up, women down

TIL in the UK the most common cause of death for men under 50 is suicide, and related reddit mensrights discussion thread

True gender equality is when both women and men have a voice, by Deepika Bharadwaj at TEDxGatewayWomen (9 September 2015) Video presentation

Man shaming and victim blaming: The A-Z of male suicide in the UK (14 April 2015)

‘A silent issue’: Researchers say 1 in 3 teen boys attempt suicide after being sexually assaulted (13 April 2015)

Fatal silence: Why do so many fortysomething men kill themselves? (13 April 2015)

It’s society, not biology, that is making men more suicidal (24 February 2015)

Men and Suicide: The Silent Epidemic (21 February 2015)

Robin Williams one of many: More middle-aged men committing suicide, and experts don’t know why (15 August 2014)

If as many women killed themselves as men, we’d never hear the end of it (30 January 2015) Article and related Reddit mensrights discussion thread

Suicide surpassed war as the military’s leading cause of death (31 October 2014)

Suicide among men four times higher than women (2 December 2014)

Extreme family violence: trying to understand murder-suicide (7 November 2013)

“Murder-suicide is most often perpetrated by men – but this is hardly surprising. Men are generally the perpetrators of murder, and men make up the majority of suicides in Australia, too.” Only a feminist would hold up the fact that many men kill themselves as proof that men are inherently violent.

Male suicide rates and causes (19 April 2011)

Divorce and suicide risk (2003) (with details concerning an actual case of a divorce-related suicide here)

Eye of Woden – Addendum on male suicide

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Elsewhere in this blog you might be interested in reading:

On men’s health: The statistics and the underlying factors

Is it my imagination or does media coverage of mens health initiatives usually focus on male shaming?

If the central tenet of feminism is equality then what mens/boys causes have feminists championed recently?

I thought women were meant to be more empathetic?

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One charity’s perplexing response to a potential source of donations

My father died from prostate cancer. I had an idea that I might put some donation buttons in this web site so I approached the major Australian prostate cancer charity, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, with a proposal:

“hi there, I maintain a mens rights blog at www.fighting4fair.com. I thought I would put in a “donate now” button to help fund-raise for your organisation. I came to your web site today looking for a ‘button” that I could cut and paste into one or more locations within my site, with the image hyperlinked to your everydayhero donation page. do you have such a button I could use, preferably with html code pointing to the page of your choice? Cheers”

I got a reply back the very same day which left me a little perplexed:

“Thank you so much for your email and reaching out to support PCFA. We are very grateful for your offer of having a donate now button on your website but as PCFA isn’t just about men but also about their families and the wider community, as they too have to deal with the side effects to prostate cancer, therefore, we like to work with bogs/website that are all inclusive of these audiences. Once again thank you so much for your offer and support and good luck with the continued success of your blog.”

Oh, the irony of being excluded due to a policy favouring inclusiveness. A curious state of affairs, made more so as I don’t know:

  • What test of ‘inclusiveness’ was applied, or the nature of the blogs/web sites deemed to meet that criteria
  • If the staff member who wrote to me deigned to peruse my site before determining whether or not it was sufficiently inclusive,  and
  • Whether that decision was sanctioned by way of an established policy or whether it simply reflected personal bias on the part of the individual involved.

On that last point I looked through the Foundation’s web site but couldn’t find any applicable policy, even for example in relation to the suitability of sponsors.

Perhaps the Foundation’s decision reflects the ‘deer in the headlights’ reaction demonstrated by some organisations when they imagine their name appearing in the same sentence as the words ‘men’ and ‘rights’? That would be odd given that the Foundation is in fact in the business of securing mens rights. The right to remain free of disease due to world-class scientific research. The right to have access to the best possible methods of treatment. The right to be treated with empathy and dignity. These are rights, or at least should be rights, rather than privileges bestowed by a capricious matriarchy.

I happen to think my blog is pretty darn welcoming, and presumably so do most of the 500-600 people that it attracts each day (and growing steadily). The only visitors who might be feel a tad marginalised – though I still welcome their readership – would be gender feminists. And as dad used to say to me, ‘you can’t please everyone’.

I’m disappointed that this has happened. Not being a political ingenue I can appreciate the merit of not alienating those with influence over government funding priorities – where the real money comes from. But when did worrying about what people might think become more important than actually helping?

I have invited both the CEO of the Foundation, and the staff member who wrote to me, to add their comments to this blog. I will update this post should any further information come to hand.

See also:

Reddit mens rights discussion thread on this issue (November 2014)

Ending the ‘inclusive’ myth (11 November 2014) By sheer coincidence this thread popped up today

Prostate Foundation is looking for staff (this also popped up on 11 Nov … by coincidence)

Funding for Sydney Men’s Health Service axed

Many readers would be aware that the level of Australian government support (both federal and state) provided to men’s groups/men’s issues is miniscule in relation to that provided to groups advocating for and/or providing services to women. I am currently in the process of trying to quantify this differential but it is developing into a mammoth undertaking.

I recently came across a readers comment about men’s health in a blog post about an unrelated matter. Reader ‘Michael’ stated:

“Hope you can maintain some momentum, as there is no funding for grass-roots groups that are concerned about men and boys. The Mens’ Health Information & Resource Centre at the University of Western Sydney has had its paltry funding withdrawn, so there is no longer any formally based Australian organisation concerned with issues of male experience and equity.”

I then googled searched seeking confirmation of this news, which I had previously heard nothing about. I couldn’t find anything nor could I see anything in the Centre’s own web site. Anyway I eventually did get a response from a former staff member of the Centre, who advised as follows:

“Thank you for your email. I and responding to your enquiry on behalf of MHIRC … 

Our long-standing funding arrangements that have been renewed since 1999 from the NSW State Government were ceased in 2013. This represented our major source of funding for the operations of the Men’s Health and Information Resource Centre at UWS. The Centre also operates The Shed at Mt Druitt for which funding has been provided for one more year and this originates from the Federal Government’s Department of Health.

The funding sources are not transferable so one source cannot subsidise another. For MHIRC, this means that our key projects of Men’s Health Week and MENGAGE the NSW Male Health Clearinghouse are able to continue only in a very limited format. We are currently exploring funding for 2015’s Men’s Health Week through other sources such as donations.

MHIRC was recently visited by the Governor-General, at his own initiation, and this may open up discussions about future funding.

Essentially, what we would like to say to the community and people concerned about approaches to male health that are not just medical or disease-focused, is that we need your support. If you would like to contribute to keeping important community-driven events like Men’s Health Week going, donations can be made to the Men’s Health Research Fund at the University of Western Sydney.

On a personal note, I will continue to donate time and energy to keep Men’s Health Week and MENGAGE going as I did when it was my job as I now work in a different part of UWS. I believe strongly that we need community-driven support for social wellbeing programs for men in Australia beyond the ‘problem-driven’ answers that governments focus on.

Thank you for your interest in the future of a social approach for men’s health in Australia.”

 

The men’s shed movement: A little bit ‘rad’ and a little bit sad

I noticed that reddit discussion threads were created at /mensrights (pre-existing thread here) and at /australia, after the ABC ran a special on the ‘men’s shed’ movement. The thread at /australia included discussion of a recent decision to block the formation of a men’s club at the University of Sydney, as detailed in this article.

You’ll probably ask, ‘What is the men’s shed’ movement?’ So, from Wikipedia:

Men’s Sheds are non-profit organisations that originated in Australia, to advise and improve the overall health of all males. However they have expanded their remit to anyone regardless of age. In many ways they parallel the growing Hackerspace movement which has similar aims and mechanisms, albeit Hack/Maker spaces are more explicit about their inclusion of all ages and genders. They normally operate on a local level in the community, promoting social interaction and aim to increase the quality of life. There are over 900 located across Australia, with thousands of active members. Men’s Sheds can also be found in Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Finland and Greece.

Further explanation of the nature of the men’s shed movement is provided here.

Let me make a couple of observations about the movement, and my opinion of it, at the outset of this discussion:

  • Most men’s sheds permit, if not actively encourage, female participation.
  • Irrespective of the concerns that I express in this post, I feel that men (both individually and collectively) are most certainly better off with the shed movement in place, than without it.

I’ve had some peripheral involvement with the men’s shed movement, which I see as a combination of ‘rad’ (radical) and sad. It is ‘rad’ in that it is an organisation/service specifically for men, in a society where now anything for men is seen as inherently bad and to be feared/opposed. It is ‘rad’ also in that it receives funding (albeit very limited funding) in a political environment whereby the provision of government funds for men’s organisations and interests amounts to a tiny fraction of that provided for women’s organisations and interests.

It is sad in that it survives on the basis of a short leash gripped by White Knight politicians and femocrats. The tick of approval that they have reluctantly conferred remains in place only so long as the movement continues to operate with a diversional therapy/mental health focus, and poses no challenge to the feminist narrative. It is sad also when one compares the far greater range of outlets, programs and safe-spaces that are available to women – more often than not subsidized by the public purse (see examples). Further, female participation in such opportunities is applauded in contrast to the condescending and resentful attitude of some feminists towards men’s involvement in the shed movement. See examples of feminist perspectives of the men’s shed movement here and here.

I get the distinct feeling that with this, as with other Australian men’s health-related initiatives, those people running them fully realise just how tenuous the level of government support is and are desperately frightened not to offend anyone. This is reflected in the vanilla tone of the online forum associated with the men’s shed movement, administered by ‘Beyond Blue‘ and the ‘Australian Men’s Shed Association‘. I have started or participated in a couple of discussion threads there – see for example http://www.theshedonline.org.au/discussions/general/australian-human-rights-commission-appears-to-have-little-interest-in-men.

The level of site traffic is quite low, so in that regard they appear to have failed to capture the interest of their target audience. The movement is seen, by some at least, as fusty/musty and a forum for rather forlorn/resigned expressions about the life in the good old days, awkward blokey chit-chat, etc. The site administrators have on occasion asked for suggestions for improvement, primarily to try to increase traffic. I suggested having a section for men’s rights-type issues like portrayal of men in the media, etc, but that was met with stony silence.

I am sure that the site administrators would respond by saying that the  men’s shed movement is not intended to be a men’s rights organisations. I get that. And I’m sure that most of the guys in the sheds movement enjoy their involvement and are unconcerned regarding how that movement fits into the bigger picture of the gender debate. This is partly reflective of the fact that a large slab of the male population still don’t give much consideration to men’s rights issues.

At the same time, though, no-one can tell me that the social backdrop re: attitudes to men, imposition of stereotypes, demonisation by feminist organisations, etc, is not a contributing factor to anxiety and the development of depression and other men’s mental health issues. By getting men to recognise, discuss and maybe mobilise against these factors … well maybe that would achieve more for their mental welfare than just giving them a venue from which they can temporarily escape from their wives/lives.

I guess there are a several of ways to look at the role of the men’s shed movement, marked by end points that might be:

  • seeing the men’s shed movement as a beachhead on which to empower men to do things and/or participate as part of a movement, that will enhance their own sense of worth and create a better social environment for those that come after them, or
  • seeing the men’s shed movement as occupying men harmlessly within a sheltered workshop environment granting them some temporary solace from the #@%# that awaits outside

Long may the movement prosper, but I confess that my position lies closer to the former than the latter.

See also:

On male-only and women-only spaces and On chivalry (elsewhere in this blog)

The boy’s club is under siege, by Bettina Arndt (25 November 2022)

Women’s sheds are providing a place for older Australians to meet up and learn new skills (11 April 2022) The Boys Scout movement re-visited?

South Australian Men’s Sheds: Who, What and Why? (undated)

Bettina Arndt has a go a virtue-signaling men allowing women into Men’s Sheds (25 March 2018) Video

‘I’d be dead without it’: Life-saving men’s shed under threat (24 July 2016)

The Men’s Shed Movement: The Company of Men (2015) A book by Prof. Barry Golding

A fight for male space: the Australian Men’s Shed movement (31 January 2015)

University of Sydney Board blocks formation of men’s group (26 September 2014) Also addressed here, here and here, and with an even more patronising article about the proposal here

More men face lonely old age, says study (12 October 2014) and one feminist’s scornful response

Men’s sheds: Because blokes have feelings too (30 August 2011) See comments

Australia – Fears of Pedophilia Shut down “Men’s Shed” (25 August 2011)

It’s time the boys got back to their sheds (4 June 2010)

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Is it my imagination or does media coverage of mens health focus too much on shaming men?

Readers might be aware that there are a number of areas when men compare poorly with women in terms of disease prevalence and outcomes, rates of suicide, and overall life expectancy. I talk about some of these factors in my earlier post on men’s health.

Many factors contribute to this situation including aspects of male physiology, a propensity towards greater risk-taking in leisure pursuits, and working longer hours – sometimes in more dangerous occupations. Other individual factors include things like attention to diet and exercise, and receptiveness to seeking/receiving medical treatment.

Let’s try to split all the factors contributing to men’s poorer health outcomes into two groups, comprising those things that individual men can exercise significant control over versus those things that they can’t.

At the outset we must recognise that there is clearly a huge range of individual variation within male and female populations in relation to these factors with further variables like degree of education, income level, and age for example. Thus there are limits as to the extent that we can make meaningful generalisations about “all men” or “all women”. Further, in the case of some factors over which one might think people do have control, the extent to which an individual actually can exercise personal choice, is very limited in some cases. An example of this would be a poorly educated man choosing to engage in a risky occupation to support his family.

So what of the factors that most individuals don’t have any control over? Well one that springs to mind are decisions made by governments, health agencies and drug companies (for example), that determine funding priorities/subsidies/etc for medical research and treatment. To give an example, the fact that the death rate from prostate cancer is higher than for breast cancer might be more indicative of the disproportionately greater funding for breast cancer research and treatment than the extent to which men “take their health seriously“.

And yet despite the above, all too often the focus of campaigns and articles about men’s health seems to be an implied or overt suggestion that men’s health problems are of their own making – that if men weren’t so silly/lazy then everything and everyone would be better off.

For now I’ll just mention a few examples, with more perhaps to be added later.

I came across this article about a men’s health campaign fronted by well-known actor Samuel L Jackson. Jackson was visiting the UK to promote a new male cancer campaign called ‘One For The Boys’ that hopes to “change male mentality”. Apparently men in the UK are 60% more likely to get the cancers that affect all sexes and 70% more likely to die from these cancers.

The campaign is based on the premise that the higher incidence of cancer in men is caused by men neglecting their health. “If only men would only stop being so dumb and talk about our health then we’d stop dying from cancer in greater numbers.”

The author of the article disputes both the validity and appropriateness of this message, claiming that a major reason for the different rates of cancer between men and women is greater expenditure of research and treatment in relation to women’s health.

The author would prefer a more positive message for men, and suggests something more along the following lines:

“Listen brother, every man’s and woman’s life is precious so why are we putting less time, energy and money into fighting cancer in men? It doesn’t make sense to me. Is it any wonder that more men than women are dying of cancer every single day? Are you okay with that? I’m not. So here’s what we’re going to do. Us men, all of us, we’re going to get together and make sure we start putting more time, energy and money into fighting male cancer, cos that’s the only way we’re going to beat this goddam, mother***ing disease. So who’s with me? Are you with me brother? Are you with me?”

The author closes with: “Now that’s the kind of good man narrative that I’d be happy to be part of, and it could apply to any of the issues that men and boys face.”

Fast forward to February 2015 and Ice-T has established the Male Awareness Foundation (MAF), which appears to be in a similar vein. MAF is described as a non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men and boys where they live, work, play, and pray with sickness prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational material, advocacy opportunities, and patient referrals.

Now the following media story may appear relatively benign, and the research was no doubt well-meaning, but male-shaming remains nonetheless quite apparent. On 6 October 2014 an item appeared on the television news entitled ‘Men at risk of mental health problems‘.

I subsequently wrote to the Australian HQ of the ‘Movember’ organisation to query whether the ‘problem is that men don’t take their health seriously’ angle for the story originated with them or whether the media created this angle of their own volition. I received the following reply the next morning:

“Thanks for your email this morning in response to the news coverage overnight.
With regard to the claim that some men don’t take their health seriously, this was a finding from a study we conducted last month into the attitudes Australian men have towards their health and well-being.  It revealed that 1 in 3 Aussie men don’t take their health seriously, in response to a specific question that asks whether they agree or not with the statement ‘I take my health seriously’.  We surveyed a representative sample of over 1,500 men from around the country, aged 18+.
The media reported it as 1/3 , so they (not Movember) are saying it’s all men.  In fact, it’s good to know that 2/3 do take health seriously, but there’s still some work to be done to raise awareness amongst the remaining 1/3 who don’t.
The purpose of the report is to shine a light on some of the challenges facing men and their health, with a view to raising awareness and sparking conversations about these issues, something the Movember aims to do through our annual Mo growing campaign.  It certainly wasn’t intended to denigrate men or portray them negatively.  We’re all about supporting men, raising awareness about their health and funding programs that help tackle prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s mental health.
I hope that answers your query, Chris.  Please do get back in touch if you have any further questions or concerns.” (Meagan Bell, Movember, 7 October, 2014)
I wrote back as follows:
“Thanks for your prompt response. Yes, I don’t disagree with the fact that some men need to take their health more seriously, and they should be encouraged and supported in doing so. My concern is that there are many factors contributing to men health problems, and that how seriously they take their health is but one of these. It is unfortunate though that this aspect – which brings with it an element of male-shaming – seems to more often than not be the focus of media articles and health campaigns. I would like to see more effort made to put this variable into a broader perspective of men’s health and for men to be encouraged – in a positive way – to do what they can to maintain good health.
Recognition must also be given to the fact that some contributing factors, like government support for medical research and treatment for men’s health issues versus the level of support given to women’s health issues – are not directly under men’s control.”
Another common assertion about men and their health – particularly mental health – is that men need to talk about things more. Especially their feelings.
A couple of issues crop up here:
When men do speak up they are often shamed or called things in the media/social media. Things like ‘whiny man-child’
Research and anecdotal evidence suggests that many men are not helped by talking about things, this approach only adding to their anxiety. Most likely this is a point of difference between most men and most women.
On this last point I asked for relevant references on Reddit mensrights and several relevant sources were nominated including this excellent discussion thread with more than 200 readers comments.
See also:
Dr Zac Turner on whether men should get a vasectomy (10 April 2022) “I believe his connection to ‘neutering’ with getting a vasectomy is grounded in toxic masculinity”. Mind you, if a woman was concerned about contraception and/or medical procedures then that *wouldn’t be* Toxic Femininity, clear? Thanks #newscomauHQ
Men Are Experiencing Historic Levels Of Loneliness – YouTube (6 August 2021) While shame is heaped onto men, the negative contribution of women (in relation to male illness or suicide) is conveniently removed from the picture
Poll: Men less likely to follow health guidelines amid Coronavirus outbreak (27 March 2020) But then reading items listed in this post, would suggest that many women are hardly being angels in this regard.
Alcohol deaths have risen sharply, particularly amongst women (10 January 2020) But nobody would dare shame women about this, now would they?
How’s your walnut, mate? Why men don’t like to talk about their enlarged prostate (4 May 2016) The second shaming article in ‘The Conversation‘ this week. The theme of this one is that men are ignorant. Author avoids mention of contentious issues like number of related male deaths and paucity of research funding relative to (for e.g.) breast cancer.
Men more reluctant to go to the doctor – and it’s putting them at risk (2 May 2016) Apparently masculinity is the problem (isn’t it always?)

Women are held accountable for … (say hello to the Teflon Gender)

I was reading this article today dealing with suicide. It includes the statement:

“Mental health organisations are increasingly targeting their public awareness messaging towards men, given the data shows they’re three times more likely to suicide.

“Men aren’t very good at asking for help and addressing the issues,” Hayden said. “That’s something we need to focus more attention on.””

I was thinking that when health and personal safety issues disproportionately affect women (or when it’s claimed that they do, as in the case of domestic violence) then invariably men are blamed. Yet even when men are disproportionately afflicted, they are still blamed. Rarely has there appeared the suggestion that women contributed to serious problems affecting men (or even to their own problems). No,  because according to cultural mores today that would be victim-blaming. That would be misogyny. And that would be wrong.

Can anyone think of an example, in say the last ten years, where such a suggestion has been put forward in the mainstream media? None, as far as I can recall. The root cause of social problems is usually, and conveniently, sheeted home to men and/or the patriarchy.

Take the case of suicide for example. What of the stress caused by a family court system that is biased against fathers? What of the pressure borne from the expectation that men contribute more financially in a relationship from the first date onwards? What of the pressure of being expected to take the lead, yet at any time to be criticized for doing so?

What of the pressure of expectations to be chivalrous in the face of mocking of traditionalism? What of trying to satisfy women’s needs and expectations when those needs and expectations vary widely from one woman to the next, and from one month to the next?

What of the continually demonisation of men in the media? The ongoing attacks on mens integrity and sense of self-worth by feminised government bureaucrats and feminist organisations?

No, no, no. It’s because men are reluctant to visit the doctor. It’s because men are frightened to talk about their feelings. Yes, that’s it. If only men would, you know, ‘man up’. There you have your solution.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Feminists often disparage men by falsely claiming that we believe that “men have it worse than women” and that “men believe that everything bad that happens to them is because of women“. Well, I don’t believe that and I don’t know anyone who does.

But surely it is fact that women, both individually and collectively, do generate significant problems for men, for themselves, and for their children. It is just extraordinary that this is not more openly acknowledged and discussed. And a very clear indicator, if one was needed, of the extent to which feminism has permeated and distorted western culture.

It’s true, I have a headache at the moment. Perhaps I’m suffering from some sort of a mental block. So will someone please tell me, in our modern western society, just exactly what women are being held accountable for? Are they in fact held responsible for anything in this world that is bad?

Go on, won’t someone throw this dog a bone?

Postscript: Alternative question for feminists to answer – Can you conceive of a problem/situation/dilemma where you wouldn’t blame a man?

See also:

The Myth of Pervasive Misogyny (27 July 2020)

Why are so many women with good careers being forced to freeze their eggs? (13 July 2018)

Toxic femininity and lack of personal responsibility (1 July 2018) Makes mention of the suicide of Anthony Bourdain

Woman held accountable for her (rude) actions on first date – world goes into meltdown … mutual responsibilities? Cease such seditious thoughts! (19 May 2017) Video

Telling women not to drink during pregnancy ‘sexist’ (18 May 2017)

Men should do everything, apparently (26 March 2017) Reddit discussion thread and linked article

Women hate responsibility (7 March 2017) Video by ‘Sandman’

‘Very lonely guys spend hundreds to cuddle with me’ (27 December 2016) TL/DR version is that many guys are such losers that they have to pay an enterprising (exploitative and condescending) plain-looking woman to allow them a human touch.

Subject of article says her clients “have a hard time finding companionship organically and lack human connection and touch”, i.e. they’re lacking in some regard. Because the fact that they are paying someone to hold them couldn’t be due to a deficiency in women. But then in the next breath she observes that one particular client told her that his wife “never just wants to lay and be with him”. You think Lisa, that maybe the wife is at least part of the problem here?

Michael Moore told that ‘Women can commit wrong too’ (31 October 2016)

A Network of Men (11 August 2016) Video

The ‘Women are Wonderful’ effect, by Christina Hoff Sommers (30 March 2015) Video, related reddit mensrights discussion thread, and Wikipedia entry on the WAW phenomenon

Feminism: It might just be ruining your love life (5 March 2015)

We should stop putting women in jail. For anything (6 November 2014)

Feminism vs. responsibility (16 October 2014)

Are men to blame for the plastic surgery obsession? (22 October 2014) See readers comments

malesareculpable

Elsewhere in this blog see:

On the punishment of women and the notion of a ‘pussy-pass’