This community sends “All lives matter” vibes. I understand that there are issues with how men are treated and there is nothing wrong with talking about it, but it does seem a little bit like a distraction from feminism issues. Women are objectively under a lot bigger threat and talking about women rights more makes a lot more sense. Of course, mentioning how men are treated is also useful, but dedicating a whole community to exactly this part of the problem seems a bit problematic. It would be more useful for it to be about general issues of gender roles or something like that, this way it seems like it is targeting feminism.
Furthermore, I heard that unionbusting companies now are starting to focus on feminism, racial inclusion and etc. Because it makes everyone uncomfortable and devides people by some arbitary characteristics. That makes people less likely to unite in their common interests, because it is percieved that their interests are very different, which is not the case.
Yeah, I get it. It’s a really difficult line to ride saying “men aren’t doing well” while also avoiding a) comparing the magnitude of men’s issues to the magnitude of womens’ issues b) minimizing women’s issues, c) blaming women, and d) generally coming off as a men’s rights douchebag.
I think it’s fair to say that as toxic and objectively horrible as the men’s rights movement is, there’s a need (in, almost exclusively, men) that it’s filling. And it’s a need that the left isn’t filling.
I think to the extent that this community puts men and everyone else on opposite sides, it needs improvement. But to the extent that its focus is men and everyone else against patriarchy (which oppresses everyone at the behest of the 0.1%), it fills a much-needed niche.
I can’t say I haven’t heard a thing or two here and there that made me cringe a bit and think there was a hint of “part of the problem” in the “part of the solution.” But “men’s liberation” is definitely a direct response to and in opposition to the men’s rights movement and in my mind an overall positive.
Plus, I think part of how the patriarchy is oppressing men in particular is by making/keeping it socially unacceptable for men to discuss their issues. And communities like this one are part of the solution to that issue in particular.
All that said, I haven’t been keeping up with this community quite as much lately as I have in the past. So if it’s taken a bad turn, I guess it may well be problematic.