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It’s #InternationalWomensDay and in a bid to save the time and sanity spent addressing the same old shit that comes up every year, I’ve pre-written my responses to the inevitable tide of hand-wringing. Pick the answer that applies to your particular grievance and have a nice IWD.
1. There is, it’s on 19 November. Don’t be a dick. Also, since we all live in a patriarchal society, *every* day is basically International Men’s Day.
2. 1 in 4 women suffer domestic violence, 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted, women are paid 8.6% less, and on top of that they have to deal with daily abuse from malignant corners of Internet fandom. But please do carry on with the narrative that men are the real victims.
2. Yes, the incidence of suicide among young men is horrible. Perhaps if we taught our boys to deal with feelings and not conform to outdated notions of what masculinity is, they’d feel more able to seek help when they’re most vulnerable.
3. No she didn’t. She simply pointed out that most film journalists are white men. I’m one of them. That doesn’t mean your penis excludes you from enjoying Captain Marvel, nor that the film is alienating men. It just happens to be celebrating a woman. Shocking, I know.
4. No you are not. You can only be ‘under siege’ if there’s a hostile army encamped outside your walls, blocking supply trains and occasionally hurling a boulder in your direction. You are, at worst, on the wrong side of an argument about gender inclusivity. Don’t be be dramatic.
5. No, social justice warriors are not trying to make you ashamed of being a man. They’re trying to make you ashamed of acting like a bellend. There’s a difference.
6. Of course being a man doesn’t automatically make you a misogynist. Although, if you do find yourself having to defend against this term on a semi-regular basis then you might want to sit down and have a think about why.
7. No, it isn’t. Feminism is about gender equality, plain and simple. There’s no sinister endgame where men are oppressed by their vagina-wielding overlords. So chill out, check your privilege and...
...open your mind to the possibility that, just maybe, when everyone has access to the same security, respect and opportunities then we might *all* be better off. Have a great #InternationalWomensDay2019
