Commentator, radio journalist and blogger Glenn Sacks has run a number of campaigns to get letters of protest against 'man bashing' media.

Here is an earlier one, http://www.glennsacks.com/volvo.php Subscribe to Glenn's newsletters! they're unbelievable

SJF>"Men are more ‘successful’ at suicide mainly because they mostly use more violent methods (guns, hanging) which have immediate effects. Women mostly use more passive methods (drugs, carbon monoxide)"

So more men die? I think the problem is greater. I wouldn't count so-called faux suicide attempts, real suicide attempts. I doubt the research makes any differentiation about this. For example, two occassions I have heard of, both were male, both were "passive". Both were successful. Are men more competent than women, or *more serious about suicide*?

And about the depression 'statistics' that you seem to swallow so easily without a second thought, it's widely known that men suck it up, that it is socially stigmatised for men, and that there is less reporting of it. It would be interesting to know the age bracket they chose for the research also as i have some other details that i will refrain from mentioning.

On either side of the gender wars there are zealots who would choke first before admitting there was any stereotyping of the other sex.

The author puts forward the quite reasonable proposition that "perhaps men could do with a little less bagging", having said earlier "To be fair, the typecasting is often applied to both genders". Frankly I find nothing wrong with any of that. Of course men are due some understanding and apology for the relentless sledging, some of it vicious and dehumanising that they have received, especially as husbands and fathers, over the last thirty years.

For crying out loud, there is even a government sponsored advertisement that strongly implies that all men and boys are abusers of women and girls if given a chance. This is despite the fact that all but a few men are revulsed by violence and are wonderful protectors of their partners and families. Equally, some women are neglecters and abusers of their families and menfolk. This has become more apparent in recent times where the media has become slightly less restrained in reporting crimes by mothers against children.

So yes, many men re right to be used and abused by the sterotyping aimed at them and by people who should know better but probably have a vested interest in the gender wars continuing.

It is not as simple as 'Harden up, Diddums', because some of the jokes that stereotype men and boys are about hate, plain and simple. Of course we should object to these jokes as we would complain about similar jokes about women, gays or whatever. Of course the bully's first defence is that the victim should harden up because was 'only' a joke and there would seem to be a bit of bullying going on here.

I think SJF *is* feminist humour. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in those feminist discussion groups.

I think men should all be aiming NOT to encourage further PC restraints on the world. If men are the last bastion of un-blanded PC thought, and dont turn into the equivalent of whiny feminists playing the victim all the time that's a good thing. Keep the jokes and good natured ribbing coming. Rather than censoring portrayals of men in advertising, we should STOP censoring portrayals of women.

With all the sad sacks posting here, it wont be long before men stop giving each other offensive nicknames, start remembering each others birthdays, and start watching McLeod's Daughters and Grey's Anatomy.

Q: Why do most men die before their wives?

A: Because they want to.

Usual Suspect,

I like this one better

Married men live longer than single men,
but married men are more willingly to die for their country.

Music and the arts would posit that males tend to admire their sexual complement. Just think about the number of songs and poems admiring women vis-a-vis women about men. I think, we men, are very glad there are women and we appreciate their being.