READ / Emma Watson at the United Nations

I personally have a lot of interest in the ideologies and politics behind the third wave of feminism. I consider myself a feminist and upon hearing Emma Watson's speech at the United Nations I was inspired to incorporate some of the key points she raised in her speech in my research for my Negotiated Project Stage 1. The below list is taken from an article written by Barbara McNally on the Huffington Post, and highlights some of the ways in which men are discriminated against and suffer at the hands of socially ingrained sexism worldwide, which I feel is an interesting viewpoint in a research project structured around feminism and female representation.

1. Disapproval of the domestic male. Males are not taken as seriously if they decide to have a significant domestic role (also known as "Mr. Mom" reproach). Emma was quick to acknowledge her father as a key nurturing figure in her life, and how society viewed this characteristic in a condemning light. If women are expected to be the primary nurturer by default, this automatically eliminates males who wish to step into the role as more of a principle figure.

2. Rising male mental illness. Emma noted that in the UK, suicide is the leading killer of men age 20-49. This statistic surpasses deaths caused by accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease. A significant reason suicide has such a precedence is because men feel unable to ask for help as it will give the appearance they are somehow less of a "man." If females are solely categorized as the "sensitive communicators" this leaves little room for a male to feel empowered to voice his needs, and process vital feelings.

3. Closeted sexuality and gender identity issues. A New York Times study shows millions of gay men still remain in the closet. Gay men are half as likely as straight men to acknowledge their sexuality on social networks. A tenth of gay men say that they do not even tell their inner circle about their sexuality. Gay porn searches are, for the most part, equally prevalent in all states, including conservative ones. This suggests that there are just as many gay men in less tolerant states as there are in accepting states -- they're just suffering in secret. Statisticians of this study also noted a common assumption from wives is that their husbands may be gay, saying, "In the United States, of all Google searches that begin 'Is my husband...,' the most common word to follow is 'gay.'" Alarmingly, 21 of the 25 states where this question is most frequently probed, support for gay rights is lower than the national average. In other words, many men are directly affected by how society presents and personifies the male gender.

4. Male aggression repercussions. Whether the aggression is within the confines of a corporate boardroom or bedroom walls, males have been conditioned to seek a dominating stance within their relationships (be it co-workers or significant others) and often encouraged to underplay the significance of their aggressive behavior. To allow a woman to rise to an equal or upper hand is often referred to as "being whipped" or other condescending terms.

What this conditioning also advocates is submission. If the male is to render respect as the "top dog" that therefore means the woman must submit to these terms. This superiority rationale leads to repercussions far beyond basic equality.

Statistics show that men make up the majority of gun owners, gang members, sexual assailants, domestic abusers, and stalkers. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, males make up 93.3% of prison inmates. Males also comprise of the majority of corporate fraud.

When men are conditioned to seek and expect control of outside forces, they often lose control of their inner forces, including their actions.

5. Intense success standards. Just as women may fall victim to extraordinary body image standards, men are facing stark insecurities caused by a distorted sense of what it means to be society's definition of a successful man. The stakes keep advancing, leaving men to feel as if they will never reach this unrealistic expectation of a "norm" placed upon them. If society encouraged both men and women to reach for the same stars, the weight of the world wouldn't fall so hard on the male shoulder.

So, clearly "feminism" is not an isolated female issue... it is a human race issue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-mcnally/what-emma-watsons-un-spee_b_5927282.html

In the coming weeks I am to explore what it really means to be a feminist, for men and women of all ages, online and offline.

:evie