“Some girls were complicit in the sport/masculinity dynamic, but the cost was the risk of being labelled sluts and socially excluded, while the cost for those who rejected it was boredom and feeling unappreciated.”

According to this author’s each way bet on victimhood, the girls are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t. Yet she doesn’t directly suggest moving to the big-smoke as the solution for escaping either of these two seemingly predetermined outcomes of life in small country communities. The answer seems to lie in controlling masculinity to some feminist ideal. Fancy that. Sure - if an ideology can control climate change, then why not droughts or masculinity?

I’m no football fan and remain unconvinced that such social commentary on small town culture, is not yet another flimsily disguised attack on gender. If the choice is between football and feminism, I’ll take football.

A very good article, especially as it makes substantial reference to one of my favourite male pro-feminists, Robert (R.W.) Connell. Both he and Michael Flood (as well as CJ Morgan!) make me very proud of Australian manhood.

Research and consciousness-raising about hegemonic social behavior won’t really change the nature of the beast. It’s rife in all cultures, at all levels of society, across both genders and throughout all age groups.

However, the more we analyse and understand hegemonic behavior, the more it becomes disempowered and counter-balanced - as all of us beta-humans, who have been sidelined from the alpha-mainstream for many generations come to see that we are more of a silenced majority than pockets of isolated minorities.

Antiseptic

‘There are some women for whom I have the greatest of respect, because they contribute much and demand little.’

Priceless! Classic male-supremacist mantra! The ‘good’ woman gives and gives and gives, while asking for little in return.

No prizes for guessing which gender comes up the winner in this cosy little arrangement. No wonder you hate feminists.

R0bert

‘I … don't accept that a disagreement with feminism is necessarily "woman hating".’

From my own observation, anti-feminism is driven by conservative politics, not the hatred of women. However, anti-feminism uses misogyny as its favourite weapon of choice and thus attracts misogynists like Pooh bears to hunny.

When it comes to Cornflour, vanna (HRS … whatever) and the disinfectant gentleman, I can’t make up my mind which is their main motivator, their contempt for women or their worship of men. I suspect it’s the latter.

Merete Schmidt writes:

"Playing this game came at a great cost to many boys who seemed to genuinely like some girls, but any indication of close and sincere social and emotional bonding with a female was immediately ridiculed by the peer group."

And we can watch those same dynamics occur here on OLO. Where any male who genuinely cares about women is denigrated. Watch the impotent hegemony of A-septic, C-Flower, Vanna/HRS twist any comments made by CJ Morgan into an unrecognisable version of their original intent.

And these "men" are not callow youths in a rural town, presumably they are mature men with some experience of the world. Playing the same game. Yet, unlike the sporting prowess that is the draw-card for the boys who aspire and the girls who desire the reflected glory, this OLO hegemony has no status whatsoever. Here they are anonymous, they hold no dominance over other posters, nor can they control any of the dialogue conducted on these pages.

No wonder they are frustrated: wanna-be alpha-males have to endure the honest opinions of other males and females over whom they have no power.

C.J Morgan and Fractell

Exactly what is it you are trying to say.

The author made the statement of ““but it is nevertheless the yardstick against which all men measure their manliness.”

“All” is a very big word, because it means that the author must have surveyed ALL men right throughout the world.

This would be impossible, and it means that the author has no understanding of statistics (or doesn't care). How can a university run science and maths courses, and then run social science courses at the same time, or, can anything coming from an academic in a university be trusted or relied upon in any way shape or form?

If so, what?

SJF:"The ‘good’ woman gives and gives and gives, while asking for little in return."

Well, yes, but so does the 'good' male. It's very revealing that you find the concept of giving much and receiving little ridiculous - you're a classic entitlement junkie, giving bugger-all and expecting the rest of us to make up the shortfall. Freeloaders are never happy when their scam is pointed out.

SJF:"anti-feminism is driven by conservative politics"

LOL, "anyone who disagrees with my view is a heretic"

and asking questions is bullying...
Well done, Fraulein Hitler...

Antiseptic I have the impression that you give almost no credit to the role of feminists who are genuinely interested in equality. I don't want to get into a game about phrasing but your view of feminism seem's to be almost entirely in the negative. I get very disappointed that equality feminists rarely challenge those who see feminism as being about advancing women rather than being about creating equality of opportunity but do have the impression that most genuinely seek equality rather than a turning of the tables.

By continuously attacking feminism in it's entirity you hinder dialog. Discussion about the points where feminism has got it's wrong is relegated to the backburner for the sake of an all in fight.

I think that feminism has played an important role in addressing some very important inequalities for both men and women. Some will argue that society might have changed without the body of thought known as feminism but we will never know if that's the case. I'm not confident that's the case. I'm happy to acknowledge the important role that feminism has played to give a wider range of opportunities to both men and women. I accept that has come with costs but freedom almost always has a cost. I disagree with those who see feminism as just about advocating for a better deal for women regardless of the rights and wrongs of a situation (although sometimes they have valid and important stuff to say as well).

I don't accept that you are anti-woman but I do not agree with your blanket attacks on feminism.

R0bert