I believe that men and women are equal. This equality does not mean that we share an equal capacity in all aspects of life –clearly we do not, despite my best efforts, girls rarely buy me drinks at bars- but it does mean that both genders share equal rights under the law. So ladies, when your mothers ripped off their bras in protest during the 1960’s, they exposed themselves in order to achieve the same legal and social status as us men. For this I applaud them; women deserve the same pay, the same respect, and the right to live without prejudice. I also approve of their tactics. If I was a political leader, and saw a whole generation of women walking around braless, I would take all of their demands very seriously.
The important contemporary issue that stems from the sexual revolution and the establishment of equal rights is that the upward movement of women’s rights does not always stop at equality. Some women often believe that their new found voice in society gives them the right to discriminate against men. I argue that such discriminatory rhetoric is counterintuitive to the equal rights movement.
For example, do you all remember those adorably offensive t-shirts that said “Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them”? These shirts threaten an increasingly vulnerable minority in society: young men. Just look around every North American university campus; most of the students are women. In Quebec, alarming rates of boys, not girls, are dropping out of high school. Despite what you girls think, men are sensitive, and these sexist shirts have deleterious effects on young men’s already low levels of self esteem. Furthermore, it only educates young women to pursue and accept sexist views and behavior towards men. Why is sexism directed at men acceptable? As a society, we criticize Muslim countries which stone women to death for adultery. However, we accept the equivalent imagery as long as it is directed towards boys.
I am writing this article because of a sexist comment made by a young woman in my Contemporary Moral Issues class. This comment received very few objections despite its injurious level of ignorance, discrimination, and hate. Last Monday, we were discussing abortions. More specifically, the professor was highlighting arguments against abortion. He identified one as the “potentiality argument”. It argues that because a fetus has the potential to become a human being, it has a certain moral standing. Therefore, it is not permissible to kill the fetus. This is a fairly reasonable argument. Once the Professor had finished explaining the argument, a girl asked this question, “So could you say that because all men have the potential to rape, that all men are rapists?” I have never been so offended in my entire life. Apparently, I – along with every other person with a penis, including homosexuals, because she did say all men- am inherently a rapist because of the chromosomes I received during my spectacular conception.
Why is okay for people to make sexist comments directed towards men? Men are criticized for making comments of lesser severity; they deserve the criticism. For example, many people say that all the girls that participate in MUS carnival are drunken strumpets. This may have some validity, but it is still sexist. And it is wrong to point out that Carnival is easiest place to “meet women”. (Anyone interested in participating in MUS Carnival 2010 can contact Brock Clancy, co-editor of CC and co-chair of MUS Carnival). People who make such comments should be severely reprimanded. It is equally offensive and unjust to subject men to sexually degrading rhetoric.
A person’s gender, race, sexual orientation, and religion do not affect their rights. As a well educated population, we here at McGill should work as hard as possible to ensure that no one’s rights are infringed upon. If you overhear an individual degrading an other, please go talk to Ivan Neilson, President of SSMU, and a good friend of mine. He is also a strong supporter of equal rights – especially women’s rights and he is one of McGill’s most eligible bachelors.
The important contemporary issue that stems from the sexual revolution and the establishment of equal rights is that the upward movement of women’s rights does not always stop at equality. Some women often believe that their new found voice in society gives them the right to discriminate against men. I argue that such discriminatory rhetoric is counterintuitive to the equal rights movement.
For example, do you all remember those adorably offensive t-shirts that said “Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them”? These shirts threaten an increasingly vulnerable minority in society: young men. Just look around every North American university campus; most of the students are women. In Quebec, alarming rates of boys, not girls, are dropping out of high school. Despite what you girls think, men are sensitive, and these sexist shirts have deleterious effects on young men’s already low levels of self esteem. Furthermore, it only educates young women to pursue and accept sexist views and behavior towards men. Why is sexism directed at men acceptable? As a society, we criticize Muslim countries which stone women to death for adultery. However, we accept the equivalent imagery as long as it is directed towards boys.
I am writing this article because of a sexist comment made by a young woman in my Contemporary Moral Issues class. This comment received very few objections despite its injurious level of ignorance, discrimination, and hate. Last Monday, we were discussing abortions. More specifically, the professor was highlighting arguments against abortion. He identified one as the “potentiality argument”. It argues that because a fetus has the potential to become a human being, it has a certain moral standing. Therefore, it is not permissible to kill the fetus. This is a fairly reasonable argument. Once the Professor had finished explaining the argument, a girl asked this question, “So could you say that because all men have the potential to rape, that all men are rapists?” I have never been so offended in my entire life. Apparently, I – along with every other person with a penis, including homosexuals, because she did say all men- am inherently a rapist because of the chromosomes I received during my spectacular conception.
Why is okay for people to make sexist comments directed towards men? Men are criticized for making comments of lesser severity; they deserve the criticism. For example, many people say that all the girls that participate in MUS carnival are drunken strumpets. This may have some validity, but it is still sexist. And it is wrong to point out that Carnival is easiest place to “meet women”. (Anyone interested in participating in MUS Carnival 2010 can contact Brock Clancy, co-editor of CC and co-chair of MUS Carnival). People who make such comments should be severely reprimanded. It is equally offensive and unjust to subject men to sexually degrading rhetoric.
A person’s gender, race, sexual orientation, and religion do not affect their rights. As a well educated population, we here at McGill should work as hard as possible to ensure that no one’s rights are infringed upon. If you overhear an individual degrading an other, please go talk to Ivan Neilson, President of SSMU, and a good friend of mine. He is also a strong supporter of equal rights – especially women’s rights and he is one of McGill’s most eligible bachelors.
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