Monday, 24 January 2011
Equality Cuts Both Ways
I wrote an article today on Politics Home arguing that we need to ditch Labour's Equality and Diversity agenda, which pits couples against each other in an outdated battle of the sexes. Instead, we should promote meritocracy and family friendly policies, so couples can strike the right career-family balance together.
You can read the original article for Politics Home here, my subsequent interview with the Evening Standard here, with Radio 4 here, and my comment piece for the Telegraph here.
You can read the original article for Politics Home here, my subsequent interview with the Evening Standard here, with Radio 4 here, and my comment piece for the Telegraph here.
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23 comments:
Congratulations. At long last somebody has the courage to make a clear and comprehensive case against this biased approach, which has taken hold not because of its strength but because of the lack of principled repulse. But is the stance of Mr Raab the one of the Conservative Party, let alone the Coalition ? On this vital issue they seem to have chosen a quiet life.
Giorgio, London (sorry, not a constituent !)
Well done. It's about time that someone spoke up about the perpetual feminist-inspired onslaught against all men and against married couples.
Sorry Dominic, I don't understand how and in what way equality legislation is pitting couples against each other, could you explain please. Thanks
This is long overdue, thank you for finally speaking out on the issue.
Thank god! At last someone making a stand against the self evident wilful discrimination against men in this excuse for a country.
Alison said:
Thank goodness someone has had the courage to stick his head above the parapet. There will no doubt be many who wish to shoot you down.
I'm a woman who thought I was a feminist - when I used to believe feminism to be about gender equality.
I've been profoundly shocked at the extent of the marginalisation of men in western society, mostly engineered in the name of feminism - in all the spheres you mention, though perhaps not all feminists subscribe to it.
Domestic abuse is another area where male marginalisation is much in evidence. Domestic abuse has been renamed in Scotland 'violence against women' or 'gendered violence' reflecting the feminist theory that domestic abuse is caused by men's power and women's suppression in our society. This is reflected in all but a tiny part of funding, provision, and public discourse.
I could not sit back and watch such blatant injustice against men (and their children), and so with a few other concerned individuals, have co-founded Scotland's first charity for male victims of domestic abuse: 'Abused Men In Scotland'. We provide some support to men on the receiving end of domestic abuse, campaign for a gender honest approach and provide training for any organisations willing to assist abused men.
We have a public petition before the Scottish Parliament and the responses we have had from the Scottish Government and some public agencies make dispiriting reading.
We may be found at: www.abusedmeninscotland.org
We wish you all the best in bringing a sense of balance to gender issues in Britain.
Alison Waugh
Secretary
Abused Men In Scotland
Repeal ALL totalitarian THOUGHTCRIME legislation!
Excellent, equality must be based on Merit only. The same goes for racial equality, it is high time positive discrimination is kicked out on all equalities.
Thank you Mr Raab for saying what so many men have increasingly thought over recent years. Your comments on work, retirement and life expectancy are spot on! The way to get a fairer deal for women is NOT to discriminate against men as in the family/divorce courts, women-only short lists, longer paid maternity leave, lower car insurance premiums etc etc. Just imagine if it was the other way round! I am totally sick and tired of the anti-men ravings of Harriet Har-person and her "sisterhood". Please, please keep this up and hopefully it will get some traction!
Someone please explain how the likes of Andy Gray gets sacked fro off camera comments, yet programmes like "Loose women" say things like that every day?
Yet more so called equality?
Thank you for your thoughtful pro-feminist piece published on Politics Home. I note that you share the concerns of feminists over the last decades - some would say the last two centuries - over a deeply gendered society.
You are of course right that the result of this gendered system is to label men abusive, bestial, uncaring and incapable of home-making, which in turn leads to inequalities for men as well as for women (who suffer the converse; that they are incapable of 'proper' work and would do better as home-makers.) It's a system which defines men as occupying the big blue space of paid employment and breadwinning, while women get to sweep their pink space of childcare and nurturing. Feminists have a word for this gendered system: patriarchy (or, some prefer, in recognition of the harm that it does to ordinary men as well as to women, kyriarchy.)
It's a system which is the bar between women and their potential; between men and their children. One where the "choice" of a man or a woman staying home to look after the children is no choice at all, because financially, practically and socially, that choice is restricted. One where the parent who has custody of a child is almost always a female parent, because she is almost always the one who has "primary care."
Feminists have for the last few decades argued that patriarchy harms men as well as women, in the ways you refer to in your post, as I'm sure you found during your research for the piece.
Only one thing puzzles me: how did you manage to identify the ways in which patriarchy harms men, yet blame feminism?
Considering Patriarchy has been around since the dawn of time and our species seems to have acomplished rather a lot in that time, I find that comment rather foolish. Ladyjulian needs to mention another word: Misandry.
The day I see women down coal mines, on North sea Oil rigs, fishing trawlers and so forth without a whinge on the same pay under exactly the same conditions with no privelages, then I will beleive in equality.
The Equality Bill proves outright western woman cannot be equal without privelage, discriminating against men and being given a "leg-up". It undermines women more than any Patriarchy does.
I spend time out in Asia watching women working on the roads, building sites and not just cherry picking "easy work" sat behind a desk or in some non-job and wanting top dollar for it. They work in 110 deg heat mixing Concrete and humping stone up and down a mountainside without a whimper. They also then go home and care for their families while putting them first. They are real women for whom I have a World of respect.
The day I see a western women under Feminism work like that, I guess I will be shaking hands with Jesus Christ, because it must be the second coming...
Mr Raab, more power to your elbow, Sir, from another one of those disenfranchised fathers victimised by the family courts.
I hope your words from the backbenches are a prophetic voice which will, with time, make their way into government policy.
Some thoughts from the last couple of days:
http://lovefromdaddy.blogspot.com/2011/01/mainstream-misandry.html
http://lovefromdaddy.blogspot.com/2011/01/mind-bandwagons.html
If you couldn't say it about a woman/black/homosexual/disabled person, it's wrong to say it as a man.
Keep up the good work and thank you for giving hope to men like me that not everyone in parliament has their fingers in their ears!
Thankyou Mr. Raab for presenting a defence of men in the face of false allegations prevelent all over the mainstream media. You will be showered with abuse and shaming language and may possibly lose your career because of this. You are a brave man indeed.
Mr Raab,
I'm an Englishman who long ago emigrated to NZ.
Even so I recently visited the UK and being a keen watcher of social and political events (Social Sciences major at University) I was aghast at much of what I saw. The feminist misandry you have so rightly exposed was everywhere, yet sadly very few people seemed prepared to talk about it publicly. What was apparent though in my private conversations was a quiet discontent along the lines of those things you have recently expressed.
I commend you for having the political nous to tap into those sentiments and the courage of your convictions to express your opposition to establishment feminism.
Please understand that educated people from as far away as NZ (http://menz.org.nz/2011/sexism-in-courts-and-media/#comments) are watching you with awe and delight and you are lighting bush-fires in the imaginations of folks there and other places far and wide as well as, no doubt, in the UK.
Thank you sir. You have done a great service for humanity. Please keep going and for goodness sakes stay alert to feminist entrapment like false sexual assault etc. I'm sure there are many feminists who would love to see your downfall along those lines as your sensible philosophy threatens their corrupt gravy train.
Dominic,
I’m an Aussie bloke and I’m overjoyed to at last see a politician in an anglosphere country make a public stand against misandric bigots (aka feminists) for a change rather than placating them.
Men everywhere owe you a debt of gratitude.
I agree with Jay Hammers, that it would be well worth your while to look at the “Misandry Bubble’ article as well as the websites he listed (if you haven't already). They clearly spell out why establishment feminists are not the least bit interested in promoting “meritocracy and family friendly policies”.
Sounds like you had a horrible time Peter. Despite the hurt, try to remember that we're not all like that.
I had written-off the UK as a feminist haven for quite a while now, so your show of strength was a pleasant surprise. The tide is beginning to turn.
Although I am from the US, best wishes to you and your career! You are a credit to your nation, and belong in the Prime Minister's spot, for certain.
Mr. Raab, there are lots of us in the US watching this. Keep it up. The louder they scream, the more effect you are having.
"Sorry Dominic, I don't understand how and in what way equality legislation is pitting couples against each other, could you explain please. Thanks"
Maybe because in reality it was unequal? Just a guess.
Can you run for office here in the US of A? Because the Politicians here in the US have no balls. Here we have total legal discrimination against men in all areas of life. Work, Social, legal are all stacked in favor of women, Yet we are made to believe men are the privilege sex? Women are oppressed?
I been to South America and Asia, I have seen many beautiful women digging ditches and doing hard manual labor jobs. Western women have it easy and they know it. Because If they wanted True equality, They would have to give up all of their entitlements and they don't want that.
THANK YOU for speaking up against Feminism! Men everywhere have been waiting for someone in your position to FINALLY address their bigotry. I'm not a British citizen so, all I can do is give you the thumbs up and a good luck. I wish there were someone in the US that shares your view
Dominic, thank you for being brave enough to communicate take such a pragmatic view on equality and start swimming against the tide of male bashing/neo feminism.
So many of us experience discrimination on a daily basis in the media, the law (especially family law) & our work lives. The devaluation & feminisation of man is destroying families and breaking down our society - not good for men, women or our children.
Well done!
Hi Mr. Raab
Words cannot express my gratitude and thanks for standing up for common men everywhere. Your stance against the misandrist feminist lobby was the first legitimate ray of hope in the Western world for men everywhere. I truly wish and hope that you will continue to make strides and continue to remain steadfast with an iron constitution and steely resolve not to back down because your opponents may take the lower road in trying to discredit you. You have MANY (COUNTLESS) number of allies and supporters who merely need to mobilize their influence and their voices in uniting towards the projects and proposals that you set forth.
I sincerely hope that since the U.S. has adopted many of Britain's traditions and legislative practices, that senators and congressmen here begin to wake up to the injustices that you pointed out. Sir, I take my hat off to you and I only wish that there was something us Yankee blokes could do for you across the Atlantic.
The fight here is just as bad and misandry has infected every facet of society. It is an all out gender war and when combating the feminists...it's almost like a parent trying to argue against a small petulant child. I pray that you and your supporters gain an insurmountable victory and that you are able to consolidate more control of and overly-misandrist government and bring it back to a fairer and more equal society.
Sincerest and Highest Regards,
Amit
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