The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > Male champions of change > Comments

Male champions of change : Comments

By Sarah Russell, published 24/4/2015

The aim of 'Male Champions of Change' is for men in positions of power to advance gender equality. Let's hope they have more luck than women have had in that task.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. ...
  6. 37
  7. 38
  8. 39
  9. Page 40
  10. 41
  11. All
Just watching last man standing.

If we are after equality, then how come women can get off being fined for speeding
Posted by Wolly B, Thursday, 28 May 2015 7:54:30 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Craig Minns

I was interested in your description of Anne Summers and Joan Kirner, as part of the “cabal of femocrats" who “made a career as feminist political operatives”.

I see both Anne and Joan as agents of change. These women have been unashamedly political, and it is thanks to them, and women like them, that there has been social change in Australia.

As the next generation of feminist, I am grateful for their work. When I took out my first mortgage, a man had to act as the guarantor. Thanks to women like Anne and Joan, young woman can take out loans independently. When I studied at uni, there were 187 male uni students for every 100 female. Now there are 80 males for every 100 females. Again thanks to women like Anne and Joan.

I could go on and on.

I want to conclude with a personal anecdote. A few years ago, I had a discussion with my older brother about an episode of Q and A .He thought Kate Ellis had spoken far too much whereas I thought Lindsay Tanner, Christopher Pyne and Piers Akerman had been rude interrupting her. I re-watched the episode and counted 36 times when the co-panellists interrupted Kate. Tanner and Pyne even had a sotto voce conversation about Downton Abbey when Kate was answering a question. I gave my brother these facts; he replied he “disagreed”.

I remember this anecdote because it was a seminal moment for me. I finally understood how our worldviews influence what we see. He had made up his mind and there was no point challenging his opinion with facts.

My eldest brother thinks “Feminism has gone too far”. With this world view, it is not surprising that he thought Kate Ellis talked too much on Q and A. He is critical of any woman who dares to put her head above the parapets.

Likewise it is not surprising that there are different perspectives on both Joan and Anne. They put their heads above the parapets – and refused to shut up.

I for one am grateful.
Posted by Sarah Russell, Sunday, 31 May 2015 10:17:05 AM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Rosie Batty, at taxpayer expense I understand, is going around the country urging women if they are experiencing violence (anything within a very broad definition), to leave their relationship (presume pick up the kids and leave). Shouldn't that type of advice, where taxpayer money is involved only come from qualified relationship counselors?

BTW Sarah Russell , Rosie Batty was not compelled to accept the Australian of the Year Award.
Posted by Roscop, Sunday, 31 May 2015 11:52:28 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
< I finally understood how our worldviews influence what we see. He had
< made up his mind and there was no point challenging his opinion with
<facts.

Posted by Sarah Russell, Sunday, 31 May 2015 10:17:05

I would suggest that you read "Spin Sisters How women of the media Sell unhappiness and Liberalism to the women of America".

Then there is another book "Lipstick Feminism" both books are eye openers.

So Sarah basically the message you are giving is that your brothers point of view or beliefs are not relevant because they do not match yours and that the only valid point of view is feminist.

Christine Stobla in Lying in a room of ones own, pointed out three basic principles,

Errors of Fact
Errors of Interpretation
Sins of Omission

http://www.iwf.org/files/d8dcafa439b9c20386c05f94834460ac.pdf

Daphne Patai in Heterophobia points out how the art of "sophistry" is used rather than dealing with the facts.
Posted by Wolly B, Sunday, 31 May 2015 9:46:55 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
<The purpose of Women’s Studies is not sim-
<ply the transformation of knowledge, we are
<told. Out of that transformation should come a
<new worldview, one ever vigilant of sins against
<the status of women. As one textbook notes,
<“once you begin to recognize these patterns, you
<may be astounded at how pervasive they are

There have been any number of Guru's offering transformative knowledge, Mao, Stalin, James town, not to mention various things like transendential meditation.

"once you begin to recognize these patterns," I often think of Don Quixote as an example or George Orwells Animal Farm.

<<They adopt Seven Commandments of Animalism, the most important of
<which is, "All animals are equal."

<Snowball teaches the animals to read and write, while Napoleon
<educates young puppies on the principles of Animalism.

<The Seven Commandments are abridged to a single phrase: "All
<animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others"
. <Napoleon holds a dinner party for the pigs and local farmers, with
<whom he celebrates a new alliance. He abolishes the practice of the <revolutionary traditions and restores the name "The Manor Farm". As
<the animals look from pigs to humans, they realise they can no
<longer distinguish between the two.

There is a term Successful Sociopaths,
http://www.bmartin.cc/dissent/documents/health/sociopathy.html

<Sociopathic individuals are extremely self-confidant, intelligent,
< charismatic and persuasive of others as well as themselves. They
<inspire those around them and create a dysfunctional culture, -
<often dizzy and disoriented by its success. Success is proof of the
< accuracy of any claim they make. Words and sometimes bizarre ideas
< become a substitute for reality. They surround themselves by
<supporters who worship them and believe they can do no wrong. These
< loyalties persist even when their world collapses around them. The
<community admires them. The system of justice seldom pursues them.
Posted by Wolly B, Sunday, 31 May 2015 10:22:20 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Wolly B

The point of my story about my eldest brother was to show his response when presented with facts - he did not "believe" them.

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinions/beliefs - but not their own facts.

I agree with your 2nd post - a gendered lens provides a new world view. This is why people with different world views need to share their ideas, and present evidence to support these ideas.

A "belief" is not evidence.
Posted by Sarah Russell, Monday, 1 June 2015 7:34:34 AM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. ...
  6. 37
  7. 38
  8. 39
  9. Page 40
  10. 41
  11. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy