A personal invitation to come along to this year’s 3rd National Conference for men and boys in Brighton & Hove from 26th September to 29th September.
To buy your tickets online today click here now.
Tag Archives: thinking men
Time to Tackle Misandry and Dismantle the Matriarchy?
We often hear about Misogyny and Patriarchy in gender debates – but not so much about Misandry and Matriarchy – so it was surprising to see Jack O Sullivan tackling the subject in today’s Guardian.
Jack is an occasional commentator on men’s issues – notably fatherhood – and has been around the debate since the nineties when he co-founded Fathers Direct (now the Fatherhood Institute).
According to Jack:
“Feminism has reinforced rather than challenged – or even acknowledged – matriarchy. It is an environment in which male spokesmen for change are unlikely to be nurtured. When they do articulate their views or concerns, they are often ridiculed or ignored by women. Misandry can be as nasty as misogyny and is as widespread (just check the internet). Smart men play safe and stay out of it. We’re so conditioned, we don’t even talk to each other.
“Why are we ridiculed when we talk about ourselves? Perhaps because men are assumed to be inherently powerful, with nothing to complain about. It’s a mistake. We urgently require an updated theory of gender that acknowledges there are, and always have been, discrete areas of female power and male powerlessness, not simply female powerlessness. Patriarchy did not rule alone. There was also matriarchy – and there still is.
“A revolution is taking place in masculinity, but much of it is below the radar and denied, even when well-documented. This transformation is about much more than “helping” women and addressing their complaints. If we want to hear about it, then we need democratic personal, private and domestic spaces where men feel comfortable to speak. That might generate a more open, less condemning public space. Until then, women will continue to find themselves shouting into the silence about issues that we need to confront together.”
For those who want space to talk about men’s issues then a great place to start is The Thinking Men event during this year’s conference on Thursday 26th September.
FURTHER READING:
To find out more about the Thinking Men event click here now.
To read Jack’s full article see The Guardian.
To read more about Misandry read Ally Fogg’s blog post here.
—Photo Credit: geishaboy500/Flickr
An Invitation to People Who Think Differently About Men and Boys
An Open Invitation From The 3rd National Conference for Men and Boys
Dear Thinkers
Do you think differently about men and boys? Have you been drawn to the recent debate about “masculinity in crisis”?
If so we’d like to invite you to take part in the Thinking Men conference in Brighton this September.
The event is part of the Third National Conference for Men and Boys and will bring together some of the UK’s leading thinkers on men’s issues to explore what we have in common, how we think differently and what difference we can make by working together more effectively in the future.
We’re inviting a broad spectrum of academics, policy experts, political thinkers, media commentators, charity leaders, public sector bosses and campaigners on men’s issues to get together to think differently about men and boys.
And if there are people you think should be taking part in this conversation then we’d like you to send us your suggestions.
The day has four key elements:
- A meeting of minds where you get the opportunity to connect with people who think about men’s issues in a similar way to you (eg people who have the same political perspective or values)
- An opportunity to exchange ideas and information on key men’s issues such as boys’ in education, men’s health, male suicide, men and violence, fatherhood etc
- Creative sessions where you can explore new solutions to old problems such as the changing role of men, engaging men in gender issues, making men’s issues a political issue etc
- A time to reflect on the day, consider new opportunities and commit to take action.
We’d love you to get involved in this event so if you’d like to take part in the Thinking Men conference on Thursday 26th September 2013 then why not take action now by:
Booking your tickets online today or getting in touch with us for more information
And whatever action you take do please free to forward this email to everyone you know who would be happy to hear about this event
Many Thanks
email: allmenproject@live.com
call: Glen Poole on 07981 334222 or David Bloodwood on 07776 001823
Labour Party starts thinking men again
There are signs that the Labour Party is starting to think about the way the left approaches men and boys’ issues, with two senior MPs giving speeches on fatherhood and masculinity this week.
The way different political groups approach men’s issues will be a topic of conversation at the 3rd National Conference for Men and Boys and in particular during the Day Two: Thinking Men event and the Day Three Sector Gathering.
The MPs in question are Diane Abbot, who will give a talk on Britain’s Crisis Of Masculinity at the centrist think tank Demos on Thursday and Jon Cruddas who gave a speech on fatherhood at the centre left think tanks IPPR on Monday.
Cruddas, who is Labour Party’s policy co-ordinator, said:
“The Conservatives have dominated debate about the family with their stereotype of a feckless underclass of absent fathers. They’ve concentrated on demonising a small minority and ignored the majority. Many fathers…..feel that the Conservatives have failed them.”
On Thursday, Diane Abbot is expected to say:
‘Tomorrow, too many British men and boys will wake up isolated and misdirected by a boundless consumer outlook, economic instability and whirlwind social change.
‘Tomorrow, too many British men and boys who need the space and support to talk about manhood, expectations and boundaries from an early age, at schools, with other boys, and with their parents will remain silent.
“And I believe we need to say loudly and clearly, that there is a powerful role for fathers. The truth is that just as loving fathers are a benefit to children, so loving families are a benefit to men.”
If you have something to contribute on the political debate about which parties are best equipped to tackle men and boys issues then join us at this year’s National Conference or Men and Boys.
We welcome contributions from people with viewpoints and experience from across the political spectrum.
Click on the following links for more details:
- Buy your tickets for this year’s conference
- Read more about the Thinking Men event
- Find out what will happen at the Sector Gathering
—Photo Credit: geishaboy500/Flickr
National Conference for Men & Boys 