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"Women's rights activist Laura Bates is no stranger to misogynistic attacks online, but over time, the vitriol hinted at something widespread and toxic. Men Who Hate Women examines the rise of secretive extremist communities who despise women as Bates traces the roots of misogyny across a complex spiderweb of groups. Drawing parallels to other extremist movements around the world, Bates shows what attracts men to the movement, how it grooms and radicalizes boys, the structure in which it operates, and what can be done to stop it. Most urgently of all, she follows the pathways this extreme ideology has taken from the darkest corners of the internet to emerge covertly in our mainstream media, our playgrounds, and our government. By turns fascinating and horrifying, Men Who Hate Women is a broad, unflinching account of the deep current of loathing toward women and anti-feminism that underpins our society and is a must-read for parents, educators, and anyone who believes in equality for women"--… (more)
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In Men Who
Whilst incels (Involuntary celibates) beg for sex on demand, pickup artists (PUA) deploy predatory “gaming” tactics, Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW) choose to eschew relationships with women altogether, and Men’s Rights Activists (MRA/MRM) insist women return their stolen power, there remains a wide range of common ideas and tactics underpinning what Bates terms ‘manosphere’ communities.
As ‘Alex’, a lonely young man, she allowed herself to be recruited into an online world in which nothing was his fault, in which he was an aggrieved martyr, not the privileged loser he felt society painted him as. And the cause of all his woes? Women. ‘Foids’ that won’t sleep with him, ‘sluts’ who say no when they really mean yes, ‘nags’ who sap their energy, ‘feminazi’s’ who want to rule the world.
While such groups are often dismissed as ‘fringe’ online activities, Bates shows how savvy members of these groups have actively spearheaded campaigns that downplay, distort and discredit women’s issues, amplified by trolls who enjoy the controversy, the irresponsible practices of clickbait mainstream media, and social media algorithms. Bates also explores how the manosphere rhetoric spills into the real world, inspiring everything from wordless intimidation to mass murders, and even influencing politics.
If terrorism is a means of attempting to exert control and wield power by creating fear, then at an individual level, it also describes men who intimidate, harass, coerce and abuse women. Bates is aware that the publication of this book will again make her a target of derision, vile abuse, rape, and death threats, and that her physical safety could be at risk. No one will be surprised to hear it, few will believe that there is anything that can be done about it. As a society, we seem to assume violence against women is inevitable.
#NotAllMen hate women, but some do. Some men blame women for every frustration, every grievance, every loss. Some men see women as objects, undeserving of respect or autonomy. And they are emboldened when these views remain unchallenged. These men are an obvious danger, not only to women, but also to society at large. A significant percentage of those who commit acts of terrorism and mass murderer have a history of violence against women.
I agree with Bates that intervention is needed well before some boys/men wander down this path. We, both women and men, need to be informed, to admit there is a problem, and work together to change it. We need to challenge instances of sexism, and fake ‘news’, to encourage boys and young men to define masculinity in a manner that doesn’t put them in opposition to women. “Ultimately, there are major changes that need to happen across a wide range of sectors, from government to tech companies, from media to education...”
I am the wife of a man who loves me, and whom I love. I am a mother of two daughters, and two sons whom I adore. So I know it’s #NotAllMen, but it is #SomeMen, many of whom I have had the misfortune to encounter in my lifetime. Men Who Hate Women is a book that will disturb, infuriate, challenge, and perhaps change you, for the better.
NB: All women beaters are arseholes.
The book gives graphic examples of the kinds of views expressed online, and how those views lead to violence in the real world. It also talks about how misogyny affects our society, including its effects on men themselves. Relatively few men's rights activists are fighting for more services for men; rather, they are focused on removing services and freedoms from women.
As a person with virtually no social media presence, I feel largely sheltered from the daily hatred spewed online. But that hatred has real world implications. The author argues that misogyny and violence against women because they are women meet the criteria for terrorist acts in several countries, including Canada, and should be treated as such. She says we cannot solve the problem of violence against women if we are unable/unwilling to identify it for what it is.
Disturbing stuff. But an important issue to be more aware of.
The last chapter is dedicated to solutions and initiatives to combat growing trends but until it's acknowledged as the problem that it is, it will not be addressed adequately, and it will affect both boys and girls.
It's a fast moving environment (the books dates from 2020), and shifts can happen quickly, but the online hate is still strong and has ongoing ramifications for women but also all minorities as white supremacy gains a foothold all around the world.