Extended Comment
I just finished viewing Jessica's blog post and wanted to comment on some of
the issues she brought up. She decided to do her blog about quotes. The 3
quotes she chose were, "Gurian argues that as
feminists have changed the rules, they've made boys the problem. By minimizing
the importance of basic biological differences, and establishing girls'
standards as the ones all children must follow, feminists have wrecked
boyhood." (157). The point she
makes about this quote it that boys haven't been changed for the worst because
of feminism making them act like girls. But it doesn't make it ok for them to
be going around being violent all the time. I liked the last point she made
about this quote which was I
don't believe that we're trying to make them feminine, just well behaved. And
what makes these standards girl standards? Is it because they aren't rough, or
violent? The
reason I liked this point was because I felt it was true. There's nothing wrong
with society wanting to make people specifically boys less violent because if
we start while their young teaching them that violence isn't the key then when
they grow up hopefully there will be less fighting and getting into trouble. I
also felt she was right to say what makes these standards girl standards
because some girls can be outside the norm as to what people think girls should
be like.
The next quote she brought up was, "If all the boys are white and middle class, at they're
not all straight. Most therapists treat homosexuality casually, dropping in a
brief reference, "explaining" it as biological, and urging compassion
and understanding before returning to more "important" stuff."
(158). For this quote Jessica mentions, Why do all these writers only
briefly mention homosexuality? If they're so involved with talking about how
boys should be boys, why not give this more say? These authors only talk about
testosterone, and how boys are wild and crazy. Not all boys are like this
either. It seems as though they are as restricting as they say feminism is on
men. They're only talking about a certain type of boy, not all of them. This
isn't fair. I 100% agree with this. If they are going to talk about boys
and how they have been influenced by feminism then why not discuss that and
focus some of your argument on them, instead of just boys and their
testosterone making them wild and reckless.
The last quote Jessica brought up was, “The books that
are written with an understanding of male privilege - and the need to challenge
it - are the ones that offer the most useful tools to improve boys' lives....
Feminism encourages men - and their sons - to be more emotionally open and
expressive, to develop empathic skills, and to channel emotional outbursts away
from violence." (159). She states, The authors of these books Kimmel talks about need to
recognize that male privilege needs to be changed, and that the people that
will change it are the people who have it themselves. Feminism should encourage
men to be more emotional. Many men (I know) don't show many emotions, and I
think this is part of the reason that men can have outbursts. I like
this point Jess made because I find it to be true. None of the guys I know ever
show emotion and instead they hold it in till it gets to the point where they
can’t take it and react by yelling.
Question for class:
Instead of guys holding everything in until they can't take it anymore and have a outburst is there a way they could possibly relieve steam/let somethings off there chest in a way they feel is ok for guys without being called a girl?
