Ooo...mens!

I've been reading Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Male, by Susan Faludi (who wrote one of my personal favorites, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Woman) which has made me think of the American man differently. As a feminist it's rather easy to say that men are oppressors, yet I've always found that to ring hallow. Most of the men in my life aren't power crazy misogynist chauvinistic pigs; rather they seem to be conflicted between the male ideal and the logic of the feminist ideal of equality. For me, feminism isn't about being equal with men, because men aren't the ideal; it's more about being the best we can be through challenging the deeply rooted concepts of sexism, racism and injustice. I would love for men to be as aware of how the ideals of the American Male are hurting them as well as the women in their lives. So read this book! I haven't finished it, but when I do I'd be willing to lend it out...

Oh and here's an article about Christian books for men from Nerve.com. My favorite quote:

...[F]or example, God's Gift to Women (the title of a manliness guide for young men), male "headship" of the American family. Women can't get enough of good headship, but a man must be careful; a woman's hunger for his headship may lead him to abuse its potency through the sin of anger. A few years ago, I learned in an evangelical magazine what to do in such a situation: push your anger down and store it inside your heart, where Jesus will work it over it until it is ready to be "released," transformed into "white-hot brother love."

That's seems healthy. Don't get angry at your ladies, keep it inside, let Jesus work it over and release it for all of your brothers. Just make sure you don't spread that "white-hot brother love" all over your face!

Kinky-bottoms!