The world for women?

No time for men

In Canada, the Legislative Assembly of Alberta yawned and let die Bill 219, which would have created the Alberta Commission on the Status of Men Act. The purposes of the Commission were to have been:

1. study health problems unique to men or which predominantly affect men and make recommendations on appropriate Government initiatives;

2. examine and advise on issues of cultural bias and stereotyping affecting men;

3. review, analyze and advise on challenges confronting men including
   1. educational prospects for boys and young men,

   2. mortality and suicide rates,

   3. family relations, and

   4. the role of fathers;

4. review and recommend initiatives and programs to enable men to develop career skills including continuing education.

          On the surface, you might think this would have been a laudable effort, but no, the truth, according to Canadian feminist columnist Mindelle Jacobs, is that men don't need help. For example, there is no need, she says, for battered men shelters:

"Worldwide, the victims of serious domestic violence are overwhelmingly female. There is no pressing need to set up government-funded sanctuaries for abused men." - Mindelle Jacobs, There's no need to study the status of men, Edmonton Sun, December 9, 2003

          You know, she has a point, worldwide most victims of domestic violence are women. In many Muslim nations, it's got to be pretty horrible to be a woman, and women get short shrift in Africa. It is truly terrible how women are treated throughout the undeveloped parts of the world.

          Funny thing, though, Bill 219 isn't about helping men in places like Syria or Sudan, but Canada, where, as in America, there are thousands of shelters for women, but only one or two for men, and thousands of governmental and institutional organizations to help women, but only a few hundred, if that, for men.

          Yes but, worldwide...No, "worldwide" doesn't matter, oppression of women in Africa does not justify the oppression of men in Alberta.

          How women and men in other nations relate is important, but irrelevant to domestic policies affecting how women and men relate right here, wherever "here" happens to be for you. But, beginning in the mid-1980s, feminists discovered that they could promote their national agendas, and counter local attempts to establish equal justice for both women and men, with references to international oppression of women. In short, they use the international oppression of women to justify the national oppression of men.

          Certainly, it's laudable to promote fair and equitable treatment of women throughout the world, but to use this as a ploy to diminish and dismiss inequitable treatment of men back home exposes their hypocrisy, and their hatred of men.

What do you think? - Post your comments on the Equalitarian Forum.