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| Oh, how I wish it was. |
Hey people of the world! Today is a very important day. It only comes 365 days a year. C'mon, guess what holiday I'm thinking of.
No, I'm not thinking of Thursday.
No, I'm not thinking of Flag day in Brazil.
Give up?
International Men's Day. *rolls eyes*
I know what you're thinking. I'm just being a cynical feminist. Hear me out, I'm not a misandrist. I honestly hope for gender equality, not female superiority. I look at the person, not the gender.
That being said, is an International Men's Day really necessary? Yes, I have read the article and one of its purpose is to celebrate the achievements of men, not only in culture but in everyday society. I'm perfectly fine with this...except it seems to happen every day. Honestly, think of a time when a person's achievements were ignored simply for the fact that they were male. Exactly.
Part of the argument for IMD is that it sets a gender balance, being a counterpart for International Women's Day (March 8). Fair enough. However, do you think anyone would ever try to pull the stunt of making a White History Month? No, because it's obviously every month of the year.
I'm not saying that IMD shouldn't exist or that its intentions are malevolent. I actually like some of the aspects of it, such as a focus on men's health and working towards gender equality. But if we're truly working towards what really matters in this world, shouldn't that be done every day of the year?
I don't know. I don't like the barrier between genders set up by our cyclically traditional society. No matter how much social progress is supposedly made, there's always another barrier to go up in place of the old one. And I'm not just talking about the stripper outfits in place of painfully long dresses. I'm talking about prejudices that go on in our everyday lives against constantly discriminated groups, for example(s), women, homosexuals, non-Caucasian persons, Muslims. Ridiculous things go on in our world, like women being put to death for being raped. Young kids being killed just because of their sexuality. People not being able to live their lives in the fullest because of a stereotype set up for them (sometimes being killed). People not being able to worship without fear in a country that promises that freedom because they are supposedly "terrorists."
When we consider all these things, maybe we shouldn't have Men's day or Women's day. Maybe just a "Chuck Selfish Pride Out the Window Let People Just Live As They Are" Day.
Run it 24/7/365 (366 in leap years), and then we won't need awareness. Just water and a little bit of sleep.
It will be great when you can write an article based on your own unique thoughts rather than one like above based (unknowingly) on all the feminist propaganda you seem to have absorbed. As well meaning as you like to view yourself, this reader can sense a lack of ability to REALLY open yourself up to men's experience.
ReplyDeleteI hope you go further, sincerely.
Old guy.
First off, thanks for not being an aggressive Internet "troll" because you don't agree with what I have to say. It's honestly refreshing.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, my thoughts are not a result of feminist "propaganda" any more than your thoughts are based on masculist "propoganda." Assuming from the way that you have articulated your response, you don't believe that any gender is superior to the other. (Maybe I shouldn't assume, but for argument's sake, run with it.) I believe strongly in gender equality. I also happen to believe that women seem to be more notably oppressed and discriminated against in our society, and people should make all possible efforts to address that. That's all this post was really about.
Thirdly, as far as opening myself up to the men's experience goes, I'm pretty much there. Half of my role models are male. (ex. Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrick, and Stephen King). I don't hate men in any way. I just feel that I should be considered their equal so I can achieve the same kind of greatness as my heroes have. I think a person should be allowed to be feminine without being discriminated against, but I prefer to be masculine myself.
I'm sorry if you felt the post was narrow-minded. I don't like prejudice against any group really, no matter how high up they are on the socio-economic ladder.
I hope that you yourself can open yourself up to the women's experience.
In the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."