Is Andrew-Tate Corrupting Young Men?
Over coffee, my friends and I, whom I’m not going to mention in this article with pseudonyms for privacy, had a conversation about the roles of men and women in society and one constant name that kept coming up was the infamous ‘Andrew Tate’. A close second was Candy Owens.
These individuals are very vocal about their views in society and have a huge following and online social media presence or platform. It makes sense how their influence helps shape the lives of others and the impression they make on others.
Before our coffee shop conversation, I posted a WhatsApp status. My friend Raph saw it and replied. The status said, “Anyone who takes advice from Tate doesn’t have my respect because it seems you lack the ability to think for yourself.”
It’s harsh, but I’ll provide my reasons. Some people treat his word as absolute and final, always referencing him as a truth spokesperson during conversations.
At the coffee shop, Jane expressed her dissatisfaction with the ongoing gender pay disparities in the healthcare industry. She finds it unfair that male and female professionals with equal experience, medical degrees, and expertise are not equally compensated.
During the summer break, Ann works as a nurse in one of the Nordic countries. Despite the country’s development, she shared that the gender pay gap remains quite substantial. This was surprising, as one would expect such a progressive nation to have made more significant strides in closing the gap.
Raph provided several reasons for this situation. These reasons included the idea that the man is traditionally seen as the breadwinner, usually has more experience, and puts in more hours. However, it’s important to note that most of these points were influenced by Mr. Tate.
I kindly interjected, “The idea of men being the sole breadwinner and the strongest, and putting in more hours is simply not true, especially in our world today and with the economy.” If this were true, who are the women we see toiling day and night on the streets to make ends meet for their family?
This conversation is so nuanced that even today, In some countries, women still face challenges such as restrictions on renting apartments if they are unmarried, and needing spousal permission for medical procedures or travel.
Raph expressed dissatisfaction with the disproportionate focus on empowering women and girls, feeling that the needs of boys are being overlooked. Jane disagreed, stating that not enough has been done for women and that they will continue to advocate loudly until their concerns are addressed.
At this point, the conversation was already becoming heated. The last thing Raph said struck a chord with me, and for a brief moment, I could understand where he was coming from, so I said.
Absolutely, I understand your perspective. The empowerment of women should not be perceived as a threat to men or an attempt to diminish their “privileges.” It’s important to recognize that women’s voices are gaining prominence because they have been historically underserved, and there is still work to be done to achieve equality/equity.
I suggested that in order to move forward as a society, we should engage in open dialogue and actively listen to one another, rather than resorting to shouting or promoting negativity, as some influencers tend to do.
In the long run, the most important thing is to figure out how to solve this issue. While it’s crucial to raise awareness, we shouldn’t stop there. We, as a society, need to work together to find a way to improve the situation.
In order to effectively communicate, it’s important to actively listen, understand, empathize, and find common ground with the other person.
We didn’t know how far spent the time was, this happens when one is involved or engaged in meaningful conversations. I would like to know your thoughts on this as well.
