“Men in Power” already are in power

I wrote this as a response to the Tribune article on the University of Chicago group Men in Power (MiP). I don’t know if it will be published. Regardless, I think it’s important for male allies to speak up even if the mainstream media will not acknowledge us. If you have not read the article, you can read it at the Tribune website, or check this thread:

http://www.feministing.com/archives/015708.html

I am writing this letter in response to Sara Olkon’s article about Men in Power (MiP) at the University of Chicago. What MiP President Steve Saltarelli fails to recognize is the mere fact that MiP is able to get press coverage in the Chicago Tribune and various media outlets without yet being a sanctioned student group, let alone accomplishing anything, is proof of systemic white male privilege. Men are losing jobs in this economy because there are more men with jobs than women – which is why advocacy for women in the workforce is so important in the first place. I’m sure there are many women who wished they could have made the money that those in the auto or financial industry made prior to the collapse of the economy but were unable to because of the glass ceiling.

I believe consciousness raising groups for men are utterly important. It is necessary to establish a safe space where men can discuss their feelings and are free to be outside the gender box, that is very important in dismantling patriarchy – since patriarchy requires men to conform to rigid straitjackets that deny us of our right to be emotional and display both "feminine" and "masculine" characteristics. The fact is, that in a patriarchy men have systemic power and the framing of a group as men needing more power suggests misogyny, a backlash to feminism, and reiterates the patriarchal constructs that Saltarelli claims MiP is trying to disrupt, and that is laughable.

As a pro-feminist male activist who does outreach and education to men and boys about our role in sexual violence prevention, I am disgusted with Saltarelli’s assumption that men are somehow oppressed by living in our society – a society which values men’s voices over women’s. Men are discriminated against – by both men and women – for not fitting into rigid gender roles prescribed to us by patriarchy. This is what we need to dissect. If we are to end sexism in all its forms, we must begin discussing what it means to “be a man”. We will find “being a man” in a patriarchy means dominating women, gay men and transpeople.

And yet, somehow, holding men accountable for their action is seen as anti-male, while each day we blame women for living in domestic violence situations. We blame women for “getting raped”. We downplay women’s frustration and anger about street harassment because these are things women are told they have to live with. Additionally, any victories women make in politics or the workforce are attributed to “reverse sexism,” not a woman’s ability to lead or make good decisions. If Saltarelli and MiP truly want to eradicate sexism, they must first begin to address the role men have in perpetuating sexist systems. I urge Saltarelli and all men to ask a woman in your life who you are close to – mother, sister, girlfriend, or teacher – about how their life would be different if the threat of sexual violence didn’t exist. The second part of this challenge is – listen. As men we are taught to come up with a solution for everything. It is hard to unlearn subconscious behaviors, but instead of trying to devise a solution, listen to what these women have to say about how their lives are regularly affected by the threat of sexual violence. In doing so, I believe this challenge forces us to examine our own male privilege and ultimately aid us in our goal of creating a safer world for everyone – for our generation and for those to come.

Stephen Adler
Founder / President
Men Against Sexual Violence at University of Illinois-Chicago