The Surprising Ways Men Are Oppressed
Men benefit from a certain amount of power based solely on gender, but that isn’t the whole story
A reader recently commented on a piece in which I challenge women to choose the words they use with younger generations with care. This reader asked why I was only focusing on the effect such things have on women and not on men. He pointed out that men also experience oppression in our world.
When I receive a comment from a reader, I try to consider their worldview before replying. Worldview influences what we find important, the way we talk, and how we behave. Having a debate with someone without trying to understand where they come from is shooting in the dark.
My initial reaction was that men hadn’t been oppressed in the same ways or to the same degree as women, and I still maintain that view. However, I just read The Gap by Douglas Vigliotti, who encourages readers to explore the viewpoints of others and close their knowledge gaps to grow as human beings in a connected society. I’m a fan of the book, and of the idea that educating ourselves is the key to a culture that is collaborative rather than mutually destructive.
What I learned was interesting, though, unfortunately, not surprising, especially when I considered the experiences of my…
