Poll: Emma Watson's Speech on Gender Equality

[Neonit]

Of course it is. There is a certain expectation of man (and women as well). And even though those expectations lie in the same line as my behavior does - it is still a constraint.

Its the same as someone demanding that i sit behind in a classroom. Even though i prefer sitting behind (i am tall, and feel uncomfortable sitting in front), and would sit there from my own will - someone making demands, or expectations constraint my choice, and thus - bothers me.

I guess what im trying to say is, the argument "it doesnt bother me, because thats how i would act anyway" is, at least to me, comparable to "I have nothing to hide, and thus everyone is free to spy on me". Just because you think something doesnt effect you negatively, doesnt mean its good.

Also, i dont think we should be talking about "tearing down" current ideals - because then we are just replacing one ideal with another. Why not have multiple?

 

[The Lunatic]

Unfortunately, a number of people would just discard this as "Whining MRAs".

Regrettably, a number of those people call themselves "Feminists" and are "above criticism".

 

[Alexander Sexton]

Yes, because "housebitch" has been levied at me multiple times because I'm content with someday being a househusband. Any kind of gender role is harmful because it creates expectations and stereotypes for people before they're even fully formed people yet.

 

[Souther Thorn]

The definitions applied by others don't define me. I define me. If anyone chooses to judge me before knowing me (personally) then they can go attempt aerial intercourse with an oscillating pastry.

 

[Lieju]

Well, I'm not a guy, but I know many men who do have these kinds of issues.

Many of them are gay or bisexual and feel ashamed of not being 'real' men.
I've only really had discussions about this with men like this.

But I also come from a background where you are not considered a 'real man' unless you can build a house, so at the very least many younger men who live in cities I know have had to redefine masculinity.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

I put down maybe. The thing is, I don't give a fuck about social rules, if I happen to do something that falls in line with them, it's because I want to, not out of some social obligation.

We don't need to change masculinity/femininity, we just need to stop caring about it.

That was a great speech by Emma Watson though. A reasonable, less edgy/misandric approach to feminism which invites everyone to be involved in the discussion, looking toward actual equality rather than "You're oppressing me".
On a side note, I've noticed a lot less of that since I stopped paying attention to certain websites.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Expectations by defination are confining, regardless of gender. We're all expected to become stable members of society, we're all expected to get a respectable job, we're all expected to look the part and act the part, we're all expected to socially interact properly and have a sex life that actually includes genuine sex, we're all expected to not appear weak willed or emotional charged, we're all expected to act our age and grow up.

Most of these expectations are worthwhile, but they still confine you, and they stress you out when you feel like you're not living up to them.

As for Emma Watson's speech... Very 90's I guess.

 

[beastro]

One man's confinement is anothers focus point to keep on track.

 

[Bat Vader]

I don't know if it has been posted or not but it would seem Emma Watson is now being threatened that indecent pictures of her will be distributed over the internet. If it does happen I hope the person/people responsible are caught and severely punished. Just because someone dislikes what she says doesn't give that person a right to invade her privacy.

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/emma-watson-faces-disturbing-backlash-over-u-n--speech-181254105.html

 

[one squirrel]

I voted for no. Some traditional definitions and expecations do annoy me. But I am free to not to conform with these expectations. So they do not confine me.

I do think, however, that the "Suck it up and deal with it" attitude, that society tends to show towards men can be highly problematic and dangerous to the men themselves and the people surrounding them. I highly respect anyone who is raising awareness of this issue.

 

[one squirrel]

I don't know if it has been posted or not but it would seem Emma Watson is now being threatened that indecent pictures of her will be distributed over the internet. If it does happen I hope the person/people responsible are caught and severely punished. Just because someone dislikes what she says doesn't give that person a right to invade her privacy.

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/emma-watson-faces-disturbing-backlash-over-u-n--speech-181254105.html

With which part of the speech are people taking issue with, it seems pretty moderate to me?

 

[Bat Vader]

I don't know if it has been posted or not but it would seem Emma Watson is now being threatened that indecent pictures of her will be distributed over the internet. If it does happen I hope the person/people responsible are caught and severely punished. Just because someone dislikes what she says doesn't give that person a right to invade her privacy.

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/emma-watson-faces-disturbing-backlash-over-u-n--speech-181254105.html

With which part of the speech are people taking issue with, it seems pretty moderate to me?

No idea. Just found and read the article on Yahoo.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

Well it's not exactly new-news but it's something that needs to be said more loudly and more often.

Not in a way that diminishes the issues faced by women in societies all around the world - but in a way that acknowledges the other side of the coin. That so many men are disenfranchised, disillusioned and fragile and *different* to that stereotyped (i would say bullshit) "ideal". Sometimes in ways that are different than women and sometimes the same but - taken as a whole - all extremely relevant to societal and cultural progress.

Not that of course I expect anything to change in my lifetime really. There are far too many vested interests, sticky fingers in stickier pies, corruption, societal intimidation, learned behaviors etc for anything to happen that fast.

But maybe when my children or their children are grown.

Who knows. I hope for the day though.

 

[Branindain]

Yeah, as a tall, strong, straight white male I do go against gender expectations because I'm more comfortable in the parenting role and my wife is more comfortable as a breadwinner. Fortunately I have never given half a crap about my expected societal role so while I don't doubt that we get judged sometimes (in fact, I know for sure that we do) it washes off my back, and I can help my wife deal with it if it gets to her.

EDIT: Emma Watson is getting threatened for saying that? Man I hate the internet.

 

[Jesterscup]

Yeah there are many many minor examples of this, examples that you can say "it doesn't matter to me".

It's far to easy to say we're in a society where we are regarded as equal, but in fact inequality is all around us. Because you may not see it doesn't mean it's not there.

Example: Despite an estimated 15% of men likely to suffer from sexual abuse, and 10% of men likely to suffer from domestic ( physical) abuse, services are primarily geared towards women, excluding men. This leaves no support and no care for the vast majority of these men. Yes it's right that these services should be geared to women, but there should also be services that exist, are available, and are publicly known about for men.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

I find myself empowered by traditional views of masculinity, not confined. Civilization as we know it has only come this far due to expectations being placed on men and women, which in turn traces it's roots back to biology.

However I can sympathize with males who find the traditional masculinity confining for them. Not everyone can contain their emotions, not everyone has the strength to not show their vulnerabilities, not everyone has the strength to overcome their issues alone. I believe they should feel free to be open about those things and society should not hesitate to help them.

But yeah, I personally find the expectations of traditional masculinity to be quite the opposite of confining.

 

[Verlander]

If you've been on this forum for the last few weeks, you'd know this actually becoming a terrible place to post these things.

Anyway...

I clicked no, but allow me to throw some context on that answer. I agree with what she's saying, I just don't personally have to struggle with it. I'm an attentive father, and I feel like I personally can emote to my heart's extent. My daughter is headstrong and independent, my wife works hard and is educated, and my boys are free to express themselves how they want - one loves the colour pink and his toy kitchen, and that's cool. The other likes sports and videogames, and that is also cool. Neither judge each other or mock each other for their preferences. Yeah, life's pretty sweet, and we're quite a wealthy family. We are not restrained by outdated gender values.

However, we're a minority family. We live in the UK which is more progressive than the US and Australia on these things, but is still lagging behind other Northern European countries. I think we'd have a happier society if people could get over these stereotypes, but it's all linked - recession and economic uncertainty lead to more socially conservative attitudes among the affected. You can't just tell a family that's struggling to put food on the table that the man should cry more and the woman should get stronger. You can't tell a man who was kicked out because he couldn't provide for his family that he should be backing a more loving role of fathers in the household. You can't do these things while legally men can be discriminated against more than women in regards to families and children.

 

[Gestapo Hunter]

I don't know if it has been posted or not but it would seem Emma Watson is now being threatened that indecent pictures of her will be distributed over the internet. If it does happen I hope the person/people responsible are caught and severely punished. Just because someone dislikes what she says doesn't give that person a right to invade her privacy.

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/emma-watson-faces-disturbing-backlash-over-u-n--speech-181254105.html

With which part of the speech are people taking issue with, it seems pretty moderate to me?

No idea. Just found and read the article on Yahoo.

Hey guess what?!?! [img/]http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/203/574/ItsaFake.jpg[/img]

turns out it was all a ploy by marketing agency to frame 4chan now theyre petitioning Obama to censor the internet.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/24/emma-watson-nude-photos-hoax-rantic_n_5871730.html

 

[Bat Vader]

I don't know if it has been posted or not but it would seem Emma Watson is now being threatened that indecent pictures of her will be distributed over the internet. If it does happen I hope the person/people responsible are caught and severely punished. Just because someone dislikes what she says doesn't give that person a right to invade her privacy.

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/emma-watson-faces-disturbing-backlash-over-u-n--speech-181254105.html

With which part of the speech are people taking issue with, it seems pretty moderate to me?

No idea. Just found and read the article on Yahoo.

Hey guess what?!?! [img/]http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/203/574/ItsaFake.jpg[/img]

turns out it was all a ploy by marketing agency to frame 4chan now theyre petitioning Obama to censor the internet.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/24/emma-watson-nude-photos-hoax-rantic_n_5871730.html

That's good. Happy to see that it is fake and someone isn't going to have their private life invaded. Doubt the internet will be censored.

 

[Nimcha]

Not everyone can contain their emotions, not everyone has the strength to not show their vulnerabilities, not everyone has the strength to overcome their issues alone. I believe they should feel free to be open about those things and society should not hesitate to help them.

And not everyone believes these things are even remotely constructive...