'I have not read Farrell's book, but from what I have read on this
list and elsewhere it sounds problematic in terms of being
reactionary and inflametory. I and 2 other female professors (soc
dept) have had a male re-entry student that is disruptive. He
tried to disrupt a class I taught last spring, but I put a lid on
it. However, this fall he is being very persistant in a Socialization
class taught by a female friend of mine - he's actually confronting
her in class. After class one day he brought her a copy of
Farrell's book and was claiming that he is the recipient of reverse
gender discrimination. He wants her to read the book and discuss it
with him. She has just been hired in this position and is trying to
not only teach classes, but do research to assure attaining tenure, so
reading an extra book like this is a burden. I don't know what she
will do.
My concern is that people like this student are getting ahold
of material like Farrell's book and using this stuff to augment their
already distorted arguments. I find the situation frightening.'

Well what a wonderful insight into gender studies departments. So frightening that a student would be 'disruptive' enough to question the all men are bastards all women are helpless victims propaganda.

Perhaps instead of being so 'frightened' by a student (a male one at that) daring to question what is fed to him, maybe an acedemic such as this could try... I dunno... countering the arguments. Or is that what was really so frightening.

One wonders of the definition of 'disruptive':-0

"he's actually confronting her in class"
How terrifying!

The vital phrase in that piece: "Gaining Tenure"
You can write any old load of codswallop in that situation and no one will ever question it because the only people who will read it have either taught you to write in the first place or been trained by people like you to accept your views.
The "disruptive" student threatens lecturer's livelihood. Because she relies on producing a certain type of information for a living anything that could break the concentration of the class and divert it from her program, much less prove her wrong is a threat to her financial security.

"Aren't most feminists Third Wave? The days of the radical man-haters are long gone."

Yes, most feminists have come a long way in the last few decades. However, lets not forget what a huge battle that took. That progress occurred, because many people bravely took a stance against the sort of over-simplistic generalisations and contempt for men that marked earlier generations of feminism. Furthermore, lets not pretend that this battle is completely over. For example, as Warwick's saccarine article points out, much of our society are far too willing to see men as villans.

Therrefore, many men are sceptical when we see comments like "it would be better if some of those who continually degrade women and feminism, actually worked with various groups to ensure fairer outcomes for all - most importantly children." All of the rhetoric about wanting fairer outcomes for everyone (while welcome) isn't matched by the actions of feminists and the systems (like the family court) that feminism has produced.

If feminism is going to make the world a better place, further change is needed. If the likes of Severin stopped seeing any man who asked anything of any woman as being controlling, if Suze stopped seeing men as being villans and Pynchme stopped waiting for men to see the world as she does and was prepared to listen to male perspectives, like that of Warren Farrell, then we would be a little closer.

Benk

ROFL

>> ...If the likes of Severin stopped seeing any man who asked anything of any woman as being controlling, if Suze stopped seeing men as being villans (sic) and Pynchme stopped waiting for men to see the world as she does and was prepared to listen to male perspectives... <<

Yup, if those uppity women would just shut the fack up and LISTEN to us men, the world would be a better place.

Severin <" Yup, if those uppity women would just shut the fack up and LISTEN to us men, the world would be a better place."

Lol ! Excellent! I just had to repeat that gem again :)

Benk (sigh),<"...if Suze stopped seeing men as being villan(sic)...".
I don't see most men as villains at all, just those mentioned on some threads who hate all women.

Why does this always have to be a gender-based war?
Are you missing antiseptic, who is away after being a naughty boy?

I don't have to be anti-men to be pro-women.

Severin

Don't listen to Suze, your last post was deeply disturbing. It appears that any sort of compromise or even valuing the opinion of any man is beneath you. This says something quite troubling about your mindset and undermines any hope that men and women can move beyond these gender wars.

Suze

"I don't have to be anti-men to be pro-women."
Nice sentiment, but much of what you have posted doesn't match up to your rhetoric. That you could enjoy Severin's bitter post also says something very worrying about your attitude.

Both of you need to think deeply about whether you really want resolutions to gendered issues that everyone can live with or whether you are just here because you hate men.