Can I be a feminist if I'm also a masculist?

Question

I'm not an anti-feminist, since I support the basic tenants of feminism:

"The doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men." - dictionary.com.

However I disagree with a lot of feminist scholars, the PC thought police in charge of despicable organizations such as NOW, the ludicrous sexist "patriarchy conspiracy theory", socialist feminism, marxist feminism, anti-family/misandrist diatribe, archaic constructionist sociological belief systems intertwined with feminist theory, gynocentrism, apathy towards male victims etc....

This is a not another stupid conservative rant, I'm a centrist libertarian, I just oppose radicals and slimeballs on both sides of the spectrum.

At the same time I support the fight to end:

- Female discrimination

- Violence against women

- Depiction of women/girls in the media

- Female rape

- Equal opportunities

- Treatment of women in the Middle East

- Reproductive and abortion rights

- Sexual harassment, voting, education

- "Equal pay for equal work"

- Affordable childcare

- Affordable health care

I also actively support men’s rights in areas such as:

- Family court bias

- Alimony bias

- Paternity fraud

- Increasing suicide rate among men

- Child custody bias

- Parental rights bias

- Bias in health concern awareness

- Incarceration for not paying child support

- Lack of advocacy for men’s rights

- Special government agencies for women's affairs with no corresponding agencies for men's affairs

- Biased rape shield laws

- Lack of educational aid for boys and men

- Justice system bias

- Statutory rape bias

- Men’s higher premiums for auto, health, life and disability insurance

- Depiction of men in the media

Can I be both a feminist and a masculist?

Answer 1

You are right.  It's right to treat both men and women equally.

Answer 2

Yes, you can. There is no reason for you to choose, if you believe in both.

Answer 3

you aren't espousing  feminist ideals , your just pushing for real equal rights under the law.

Answer 4

Don't think all feminists are crazy, I just think in many women (me included) there is anger over the hundreds of years of supression and enslavement. And whiny males who go : "We're not allowed to be real men anymore boohoo, feminists are supressing uus boohoo."

But I support the rights of the fathers, help to male abuse and rape victims etc. Equality. Sure. Just don't blame women for the justice system or "softer" values. Men are as much(if not more) part of the system AND decisions..

Answer 5

Of course you can. And I'm right there with you, buddy.

Answer 6

No, because the faulty premise in your question is that Feminism is primarily about advocating for women's rights.  Although that may have been the case 40 or 50 years ago, the "movement" has been corrupted primarily into a policy of man-hatred.

Masculism is the necessary by-product of Feminism to regain some measure of self wroth and rights that Feminists have taken from men.

Being a Feminist is exclusive to being a Masculist, just as being a bird is exclusive to being a Bengal tiger.

Answer 7

Tomado, when I read what you believe I cannot help but think that you are a person of moderation and temperance.  As Oida once said, "Excess always carries its own retribution.  Nothing can be sliced so thin that it has only one side.

Answer 8

Your lists are admirable, and the broad spectrum of your feminist analysis comprehensive, but you are not comparing like for like...a criticism of patriarchy cannot solely be based on gender. Many of the issues you have listed allegedly affecting men are rooted in class and race bias, which underpin the patriarchal construct. For example, lack of educational aid for boys and men has not come about because of women'achievements or feminist agitation, it has its root in an education system which has not dealed with its gender bias, alongside its treatment of boys from poorer or ethnic backgrounds.

And as for biased rape laws...some of your arguments are simply dead in the water...laws are biased towards men in rape...check out the rape stats and convictions for the UK less than 6% end up in convictions.  

So, fine claim to be a feminist, stick to your definition, but do not think that being a masculinist should just be about guarding and reinforcing age old myths about men and the societal privileges they enjoy. That is not an ideology it is sexism.

Answer 9

Notice that list of injustices against men is longer than injustices against women?

I thought women have higher health insurance though?

Answer 10

I believe I am a feminist and a masculinist.  I am working now on helping a father keep his parental rights, since he raised the children and the wife never paid child support until recently, when she filed to get custody of the kids.  Both sides have valid points and trying to say one s*x is better than the other gets us nowhere.

Answer 11

I see no problem with it...these two "philosophies" are very similar at a core, moderate level.

I honesty believe the next step is for the two groups to start working together.  Isnt that the main thought in relationships behind both.  Equal but different, and stronger together then one could ever be.

Think of it this way, you wouldn't ask if you could donate time/money etc to save the rain forest and the dolphins.