WHY FEW MALE JOURNALISTS TAKE ON MEN'S GENDER ISSUES

Many, if not most, male journalists are reluctant to write about men's gender issues except from a feminist perspective, which I think usually fails to ring true for men in general. Here, in my view, are some of the reasons for these journalists' reluctance:

They may fear being the first to speak up and being asked by their editor and co-workers: “Do you personally have a problem with this? You seem to be the only one.” (Many men intensely fear being told they have a problem -- with anything. A là feminism-founder Betty Friedman, who identified the restlessness and boredom of housewives as “the problem with no name,” I have likewise named men's fear of being seen as having a problem “the problem with no name” -- a topic worthy of a book-length discourse by itself!)

They may feel silenced by the chivalrous fear of upsetting women, whom men, especially liberal men, are supposed to simultaneously see as capable of handling the violence of hand-to-hand combat with enemy soldiers but as incapable of handling men’s mere words. (Radical feminism wants us to believe women can handle death-threatening revilement – “Die, slut!” – from enraged enemy soldiers on the battlefield, but cannot handle a good-intentioned compliment – “Hi, gorgeous!” – from an effervescent man in the workplace.)

They may feel silenced by seeing themselves as protectors of women. Many men, especially feminist men, want to be known as protectors of women (often to earn female approval or female votes). Since such chivalrous men are sometimes willing to sacrifice their own lives for women, many can certainly be counted on to sacrifice their own rights for women.

They may feel silenced by a political correctness that is hostile and censorious to non-feminist views on gender, particularly to such views proffered by men.

They may feel silenced by the mistaken belief that all feminists work in the interest of both sexes and for the good of the country, and that to be against feminists is to be against women and the country.

They may have been taught by feminists and the media to see male powerlessness as male power. (The military conscription of men is sometimes presented as male power, not the male powerlessness that it is. So is having to work long hours in an oppressive job in order to support a family.)

Most journalists vote Democratic and are probably liberal. The liberal view on gender issues is the feminist view. Non-feminst views are considered conservative and hence are often taboo.

[Adapted from "The Untold Side To the Gender Story: A Message Mostly For Male Journalists."] 

tags: male fear  journalists  betty friedman  media bias  

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit