The title should have been 'Feminist myths are hard to kill'

Christina Hoff Sommers ‘Who Stole Feminism” chapter Noble Lies page 203

“As it is told in the opening essay in one of the most popular textbooks in women’s studies, ‘Women; A Feminist Perspective’, “the popular expression ‘rule of thumb’ originated in English Common Law, which allowed a husband to beat his wife with a whip or stick no bigger in diameter than his thumb. The husband’s prerogative was incorporated into American Law.”

Feminist myths include things like DV increases during pregnancy and during sporting grand finals.

“The ‘rule of thumb law,’ however, turns out to be an excellent example of what may be called feminist fiction. It is not to be found in William Blackstone’s treatise on English common law. On the contrary, British law since the 1700’s prohibited wife beating.”

“The current study, which will appear this week -- again, in the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science -- says that while the need to stop violence against women is obvious, violence against men is being ignored."

"Our society seems to harbour an implicit acceptance of women's violence as relatively harmless," writes Marilyn Kwong, the Simon Fraser University researcher who led this study.

"Furthermore, the failure to acknowledge the possibility of women's violence . . . jeopardizes the credibility of all theory and research directed toward ending violence against women."

What about the reported incidence of violence in same sex relationships, in particular by lesbian couples.

What about abuse by women? I take it that controlling behaviour, bullying and psychological abuse are not restricted to men and can be just as harmful.

Alienation of children, almost always by mothers, where the father and the relatives on his side are excluded by seeing the children. Isn't that violence too?

The TV ads that demonise men just get viewers' backs up. What about something more even handed - something that reflects reality?

What about something practical to support male adolescents, youths and men? Guilt only goes so far, the need is for some real $$ for programs to build the fragile egos of boys and young men especially.

All the federal government and government funded agencies do is talk and print brochures. What about some funding for outdoor challenges and work experience for male youth? What about some 'no strings' $$ for voluntary bodies like Scouting? What about drop in centres?

Best of all, why not talk with boys and men to find out what the problems are from their end and arrive at some practical solutions?

As for the Sheik in the news, he would not be here were it not for the political interference of Mr Keating and that reminds me, what about some ethics in political leadership - by men and women.

I wholeheartedly agree with the article.

As an Australian male, I can verify 100% that there is indeed a problem with male attitudes towards women. You'd think these sorts of attitudes would have faded away long ago, but apparently not. It's a shame the causes are so hard to identify as well.

Perhaps more disturbing is the 'backlash' against government campaigns to correct the problem. Men are crying 'discrimination', as though they are being unfairly targeted. I really can't understand where they're coming from. Men commit the overwhelming majortity of domestic violence, and a specific targetting campaign is therefore justified. Nobody is saying that violence against men doesn't happen, or shouldn't be enforced, but let's get some perspective here!

I think a lot of it comes down to the false attitudes men have about themselves. I don't think men realise that there is a lot less separating the genders than they realise. We are much more like women than a lot of men realise, and vice-versa. There are many myths that need to be eliminated similarly.

Men think they are better drivers than women, for instance. This is patently false, both statistically, and as shown by the comparative insurance premiums paid by women and men (guess who pays more?).
Men assume they are less emotional than women. I believe this is also false, given what I've seen of other blokes.

All in all, the sooner we defeat these myths, the better.

Well said Booster. I too like the article and the slant that it puts on the problem. I grew up in an area where men and women were considered to be of equal value, and have been shocked by some attitudes in other parts of NSW that I have since lived in. A lot of the men that I have met wont commit violence themselves, but view it as a situation where "she was asking for it" if they know of a particular occurrence.

Again, it is not to say that women dont commit violent acts, but they are less frequent overall. Whilst each act of DV should be addressed, overall there is a bigger problem with the acts of men towards women.

Until the attitudes of men are changed, the problem will remain.

It cuts both ways. For example, child neglect is rife as is the psychological abuse of spouses and children. In these areas women represent the vast majority of perpetrators.

Yet the community belief is that a woman, especially and mother, would not do such things. This myth makes it difficult to assist vulnerable children who must feel society has no interest in their suffering.

It makes no sense to concentrate on one area of problem to the exclusion of others.

TV advertisements and brochures may placate certain interests but it does nothing about the causes and at best is about symptoms only.

There is no dispute that some relationships and some individuals have serious problems but we need a holistic approach to get anywhere at all. Taking one element in isolation is flawed, especially where that element is known to be highly politicised.

Not referring to the author, but gender politics played by people who should know better are particularly unhelpful. Still, maybe that says something about what is successful in competing for government grants.

Booster said, “men are crying discrimination….”

Booster, no matter what you say men are being discriminated against, for instance try contacting the office for the status of men? Do men not desreve to have such an office? How about telling of the equality in health spending between primarily womens health problems (e.g. breast cancer) and primarily men’s health problems (e.g prostrate cancer). How about then factoring in the fact that a man’s life expectancy is far less than a women’s? However are you yourself crying about men crying? Sounds very much like what's not good for the goose is good for the gander.

Booster also said “Men commit the overwhelming majortity of domestic violence, and a specific targetting campaign is therefore justified.”

As for committing the vast majority of domestic violence, you Booster, are showing how you act very similar to what you see as the men’s way. There are multitudes of studies that show a) the faults behind the myth you state and b) that in fact marginally, women are the main perpetrators of domestic violence. However even if men were the main/majority it does not justify only part of the problem being looked at/ignored. Why should a male not have the support afforded to a female in the same position? Where is the equality in that? You appear to condone the maltreatment of another person based not upon their situation but upon their gender, is that what equality is about