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point taken, but sarcasm aside:  why NOT have men's centers and men's studies?  no, seriously?  how can we truly change the sexism and eliminate men's violence against women in our society without engaging and supporting men in both changing themselves and in leading change in our peers?

the father's rights groups and others are advocating for these institutions as a backlash to feminist progress.  why not be pro-active and establish those institutions as vehicles for further progress and justice rather than for regressive backlash?

posted 3 years, 7 months ago
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When I heard one of the young men comment about navigating the difficult pressures of being "openly sexual," I immediately identified.  We supposed to brag openly about our heterosexual sex lives (or make one up if we don't have one).  I think much of this pressure that we put on one-another is a result of our society's homophobia -- fear of gayness, of being gay, or even of being perceived as gay.

posted 3 years, 7 months ago
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for the record, *every* feminist i have ever known has advocated for the fair and just treatment of men as human beings.  women's general value in society is clearly funneled narrowly through their sexuality.  the same is not true of boys.

yes, there are serious problems with how we raise boys, but scapegoating "feminism" is neither accurate nor helpful.

posted 3 years, 7 months ago
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My name is Ethan Young, Prevention & Policy Specialist with the Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force

I caught the rebroadcast of this discussion and personally appreciate Ray Thomas' efforts to improve Oregon's laws around sex abuse.  Our laws, like our budgets, are moral documents that demonstrate our values and priorities.  At the same time, we cannot and must not rely solely on the criminal justice system to fight sexual violence.  Prevention of first time offenses must be a priority.

I would like to let people know that the Task Force is organizing a sexual violence prevention conference in Portland for October 28-30, 2009, entitled Roots of Change: Men, Sex and Justice.  Please click on the link for more details.

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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