My brain has given up trying to go through the stories and comments on #boyslockerroom. I’m disappointed at myself, and it has triggered memories from school and college. But this is not about me. 1/10
In no way, something like #boyslockerroom should be entertained at any level. There are laws that are in place to deal with situations like this and it's important that accountability is demanded. 2/10
But to see #boyslockerroom and the direction it’s going in can be overwhelming for a lot of us. Remember that it’s not about you, a person. It’s about the sexism and misogynistic thinking that’s so pervasive that me, you and your friends participate in it and defend it. 3/10
So what is it that you can do?
1/ Educate yourself with facts before forming opinions (eg. look at the effectiveness of juvies before saying that send the boys to juvies or understand why do you want to say not all men before saying it, the answer might surprise you) 4/10
1/ Educate yourself with facts before forming opinions (eg. look at the effectiveness of juvies before saying that send the boys to juvies or understand why do you want to say not all men before saying it, the answer might surprise you) 4/10
2/ Take a good look around and find the media, TV, pages, movies, and music that is sexist and misogynistic. They are #boyslockerroom. Report it, discourage people from engaging with it. (Pop culture is where the pedagogy is - Bell Hooks) 5/10
3/ Stop participating in, pretending to like, and perpetuating sexist and misogynistic behaviors and conversations. It has to start somewhere, and it’s deeply uncomfortable to stand up to your friends, but do it anyway. 6/10
4/ Speak up and speak up about the systems that perpetuate this. Share your opinions but check them twice. Notice the taste of your words, notice their heaviness, notice the people you are including and excluding, Make your intentions clear. 7/10
5/ Outrage as much as justified will end up alienating people and then it’s no longer a fight against the ideas. Shame nurtures abuse and shame traps victims. Alienating is only good at two things 1) Shutting people 2) Making them outrage and neither of them is empowering. 8/10
6/ Share stories, ask questions. There are many #boyslockerrooms and there will be. You are more important, your stories are more important, how you break this down is more important. We learn from the part of the story that we focus on. You get to decide what you focus on. 9/10
7/ Leverage your privilege to empower people, become a teacher, teach 14-year-old boys and girls. Work with organizations advocating for women's rights, work with organizations empowering, start one maybe. These children need you, irrespective of which side they are on. 10/10
