Week 7
Male Bashing
Male bashing -- the stereotyping of men as brutal, stupid or otherwise objectionable -- is commonplace. Our sons, husbands, fathers and men-friends are gleefully slandered because they are male. They are subjected to malicious jokes and attitudes that would be decried if directed at blacks, Hispanics or women. The assault against men must stop. But how?
The message that being male is somehow seriously wrong and should be controlled has been broadcast for over three decades. That message is now embedded in laws such as affirmative action and in policies such as bias against fathers in family courts. The damage inflicted on the men in our lives is clear.
Source
Q. What did God say after creating Adam?
A. I must be able to do better than that.
Q. How do you get a man to do sit-ups?
A. Put the remote control between his toes.
Welcome to the new comic image of men on tv: incompetence at its worst. Where television used to feature wise and wonderful fathers and husbands, today's comedies and ads often feature bumbling husbands and inept, uninvolved fathers. On Still Standing, Bill (Mark Addy) embarrasses his wife Judy (Jamie Gertz) so badly in front of her reading group, that she is dropped from the group. On Everybody Loves Raymond, Raymond (Ray Romano) must choose between bathing the twin boys or helping his daughter with her homework. He begrudgingly agrees to assist his daughter, for whom he is no help whatsoever.
According to Gender Issues in Advertising Language, television portrayals that help create or reinforce negative stereotypes can lead to problems with self-image, self-concept, and personal aspirations. Young men learn that they are expected to screw up, that women will have the brains to their brawn, and that childcare is over their heads. And it isn't just men who suffer from this constant parade of dumb men on tv. Children Now reports a new study that found that 2/3 of children they surveyed describe men on tv as angry and only 1/3 report ever seeing a man on television performing domestic chores, such as cooking or cleaning. There are far too few positive role models for young boys on television.
Source
The strength of a man isn't in the deep tone of his voice.
It's in the gentle words he whispers.
The strength of a man isn't how many buddies he has.
It's how good of buddies he is with his children.
The strength of a man isn't in how respected he is at work.
It's in how respected he is at home.
The strength of a man isn't in how hard he hits.
It's in how tender he touches.
The strength in a man isn't in the hair on his chest.
It's in his Heart . . . that lies within his chest.
The strength of a man isn't in the weight he can lift.
It's in the burdens he can carry.
--Sermon Fodder
Psychological Differences Between the Sexes, Part 1
Battle of the Sexes- Male Bashing Note: Contains vulgar words.
Battle of the Sexes- Female BashingNote: Contains vulgar words.
These films clearly show how male and female bashing can seriously affect people and relationships. What can people do to create a balance? Can we ever create one?
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