"Man-Hating" Feminists: Mass Media's Uncritical Support of Patriarchy

 

“We have to constantly critique imperialist white supremacist patriarchal culture because it is normalized by mass media and rendered unproblematic."  - bell hooks

        When I started this blog, one of the main concepts I wanted to explore was the relationship between mass media and hierarchical thinking. In the United States, there are various forms of bigotry that are interconnected and self-perpetuating; white supremacy, patriarchy, ableism, homophobia, and class all serve as justifications for the existence of social stratification between the ruled and the rulers. Besides the unfettered use of state-sanctioned violence and militarism, mass media serves as one of the primary mechanisms of control, often in ways that many of us, including myself, are potentially blind to. Thus, it comes as no surprise that media outlets, which are managed predominately by white males, often espouse anti-labor, anti-Black, and various forms of bigoted rhetoric to ensure that the working class discriminates against one another on the basis of identity.

Nuclear Family Model

        Patriarchy, i.e., a society run by males for males, is one of these pervasive and divisive forms of bigotry, serving as a moral framework that values systems of domination and control. That being said, feminism and women's liberation have been a long-standing oppositional force against patriarchy in American society. In the words of bell hooks, feminists primarily seek to "end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression." Of course, feminism includes a myriad of issues including patriarchal violence, child-rearing, love, reproductive health, gender, and so on. However, mass media has painted a different representation of women's liberation, with feminists receiving widespread opposition in a society that primarily believes in the idea that "God has ordained that women be subordinate to men in the domestic household." Namely, in a predominately right-wing, traditionalist society, "the Old has never hesitated to make use of the foulest and cruelest means to stay the advent of the New, in whatever form or period the latter may have asserted itself." As a result. there still remains an undeniable sentiment among men that feminism poses a threat to "masculinity," with three-in-ten men still saying that "women’s gains have come at the expense of men." In actuality, however, sexist thinking is one of the biggest hurdles for men in expressing their sexuality and emotions in a healthy, productive manner. Of course, mass media often ignore this fact, with several instances of feminists being portrayed as angry, bitter, and men-haters mostly by right-wing media personalities in an attempt to reproduce traditionalist and conservative values among the masses. One such personality was Rush Limbaugh, a political radio talk-show host who coined the term "feminazi" and claimed that "feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society." You also have individuals such as Harvey Mansfield, who in his book, Manliness, "describes feminists as “anti-male” and states that feminists are 'none too pleased with men and not shy about letting them know it.'" Ultimately, the myth of "man-hating" feminists who desire "revenge" against men serves to absolve the role the church and state have had in socializing men and women into sexist thinking. While there are valid criticisms of mainstream feminism, such as modern-day feminism being a predominately liberal reformist movement that centers the experiences of white women with class privilege, the misrepresentation of feminism as "anti-male" has served to alienate males from the more revolutionary aspects of feminism that is often ignored and underrepresented in the media: the complete and utter abolition of patriarchy.

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        As one may easily deduce, the purpose of anti-feminist rhetoric such as this is to primarily discredit feminism as a movement. However, it serves another purpose as well; it appeals to the unconscious grievances of males who are frustrated with our patriarchal society. In other words, in true mass-media fashion, the blame is redirected toward a group of people who have nothing to do with the existence of patriarchy. Now, while I could've focused on the way that mass media portrays sexual and patriarchal violence as something that the victims of said violence "deserve," or the ways in which media outlets promote transphobia and anti-gay sentiments, I wanted to focus on the myth of "man-hating" feminists precisely because it is so pervasive in online spaces, e.g., Reddit, Twitter, and 4chan. The idea of "man-haters" espoused by reactionary media outlets inhibits the formation of a unified feminist movement. The ruling class is dependent on this as the unquestioned normalization of authority in the household translates to the blind acceptance of authority in the workplace and by our government. Therefore, such narratives need to actively be combatted; at the end of the day, an end to sexism and sexist exploitation necessitates the existence of male and female solidarity. Although this is easier said than done, no social transformation in history has been achieved without solidarity, without unity. The way we see gender norms and/or roles needs to be radically transformed; we need to move beyond binary thinking. Teaching men that the only way to solve a "problem" is to violently dominate and control others and/or socializing women to uncritically accept and raise patriarchal males is not a society that values the liberty of others. As a whole, feminists who embrace a systemic analysis of patriarchy don't hate men, they seek to liberate both men and women from the clutches of patriarchal values. Contrary to mass media talking points, it is important for men to realize that the biggest threat to masculinity is not feminists, but the ruling ideology of society that necessitates the existence of feminism in the first place. Masculinity and feminism are compatible, not antitheses to one another.