(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #228 - Masculinism: The armed wing of patriarchy (fr)

We heard a lot of bang for a Mr. Charnay mounted on a crane Nantes and soon imitated by 
few others. Behind this mode of action stand movement and anti-feminist ideology does not 
say their name. Explanations. ---- Behind the highly publicized demanding father 
visitation rights to her child, the "dads" are mobilized themselves as spokespersons full 
of good feelings and denouncing an anti-judiciary fathers hostile men associations. But 
behind this act of seemingly "equal", the reality was darker and more political fathers 
convicted of violence against the mother or child, speeches that run fast enough to 
misogyny, a mode of action " stamped "we encountered a new masculinist offensive! This 
movement, not very well known in France, however, is growing. Oldest and active in Quebec 
(see the interview with Melissa Blais ) has demonstrated its harmfulness.

The term "masculinism" was first used at the time of the second wave of feminism in the 
1970s. Some wanted to emancipate the socialization forcing men to adopt traditional roles 
associated with "male" virility, control of speech in public space, power, etc.. This 
current initially develops a critical influence on the men of the patriarchal scheme of 
virility and homophobia, in a way that is more progressive and pro-feminism.

A hijacked sexism

But his analysis is meant more as gender feminist, and tends not necessarily want to put 
women and men equality in general sexism, with ambiguity and risk recovery by anti 
feminist forces, which has unfortunately , not waiting ... So in the 1980s, first in 
Quebec, the term "masculinism" is taken and completely returned by individuals and groups 
antifeminist, addressing the social rights of women recently acquired .

Patriarchal and anti-feminist lobby

Masculinism is a social movement more or less diffuse psychologists, sexologists, 
academics, politicians, media intellectuals, but also individuals and groups active in 
psychological support networks for men, especially in the "fathers 'groups' or separated 
divorced.

This movement displays a misogynist discourse, anti-feminist, and denies most of the 
rights acquired by the feminist struggles to maintain or enhance male privilege and 
patriarchal structure of society. That is why it is very practical in the field of the 
family, putting pressure to reduce or eliminate alimony, establish shared custody 
unconditionally or remove a woman's right to divorce. But it also denies the right to 
contraception, abortion, and the diversity in the school ...

The action unfolds masculinist mainly on the internet, in blogs and sites, but also in 
dramatic actions. In general it is the escalation of cross bridges or cranes to claim 
"rights for fathers" (and the actions of the fathers for justice in Quebec). Judicial 
harassment of divorced women or victims of violence, and threats of feminists are also 
recurring. Thus, although it seems still a minority, the masculinist movement is not to be 
taken lightly. In December 1989, Marc Lepine shot fourteen students of the Polytechnic of 
Montreal because they were women, and according to him had no place in this school. Before 
killing himself he left a letter explaining his act: he shot the women because he hated 
feminists.

Storytelling

To support its claims, masculinism built a whole series of myths, we can fall into three 
groups.

The crisis of "masculinity" of Western civilization would suffer widespread feminization, 
causing a crisis of civilization, disastrous especially for men. Once dominant, they would 
become dominated. A naturalized "masculine identity" would be attacked, inf?rioris?e. The 
men would then "lost" in disorientation. The course feminists fault, referred to as 
"anti-people".

Fathers' rights violated: justice would become pro-women and anti-men, and systematically 
promote women by giving them the right to custody of children in cases of separation, 
denying the "right of fathers." In fact, the share of children is in the vast majority of 
cases in favor of mothers, but amicably and justice is nothing to do. By cons, it reflects 
the unequal sharing impregnation in society, traditional patriarchal patterns: women 
over-invest their parenting, and men under-invest. Another gadget invented from scratch by 
a masculinist shrink to help the "cause of the fathers": the "Parental Alienation 
Syndrome" (PAS), a set of disorders that suffer the conditioned to hate his father when 
child is under the custody of his mother.

Violence against men: men commit suicide more than women because of the famous "crisis of 
masculinity" or divorce, boys suffer the violence of a feminized and castrating school 
system, men suffer as much as women physical violence. Violence against women 
overestimated, would the fact that individuals with a ladle psychology, and not the result 
of a system of domination. It goes without saying that these myths are in total 
contradiction to all scientific studies on these topics.

In France

The masculinist movement has its media representatives to the country of Eric Zemmour. In 
the first place we can point defense organizations of separated fathers. The best known is 
SOS Papa, but we also know the Dads = Moms, The Fellowship of fatherhood, New fatherhood 
movement, and SOS Divorce.

The masculinist discourse is carried by media personalities. Mainly Zemmour, who said " 
Feminism carries with it, like all the words in "-ism" totalitarianism . " Also include 
Alain Soral, president of the far right splinter group Equality and Reconciliation: " 
Unlike humans, the most muscular body naturally orients towards action, the body of the 
woman [...] is designed primarily for attract the male in order to push for procreation 
... ". Sensitivity masculinist, the writer Michel Houellebecq hold about anti-feminist 
and denounces his characters' sexual misery ", attributing to feminism. Finally Marcela 
Iacub clearly showed its support Masculinism by propagating myths of false allegations of 
abused women, SAP, the over-criminalization of sex crimes.

Masculinism can be regarded as an ideology of fighting the patriarchy, ideology all the 
more dangerous it is structured and often behind an egalitarian facade (see below). 
Feminist vigilance!

Commission antipatriarcat AL

For more information:

? The masculinist movement in Quebec. The unmasked anti-feminism, led by Melissa Blais and 
Francis Dupuis-Deri, the Think editions Housekeeping, 2008.

? "antif?minismes" Cahiers du genre, No. 52, 2012.

? http://lgbti.un-e.org

? See also the film Patric Jean Male dominationhttp://www.ladominationmasculine.net/home.html