update 04-11-2022
What are mens issues?
A good source of review of the many issues that men face go to the National Coalition For Men (NCFM) web site or Tom Golden’s Men Are Good youtube channel. Many of the specific issues are discussed on those sites and within the pages here of NY MAN.
The problems facing men in the U.S. are many but can be broken down into 5 general categories;
- Gynocentrism.
- Biased treatment of males by government:
- Biased treatment of Fathers in family courts, schools, etc. (Parental Rights):
- Denial of Reproductive Rights:
- Denial of Due Process under the Law:
Gynocentrism refers to a dominant or exclusive focus on women in theory or practice; concerned exclusively with a female point of view. The societal portrayal of men as all potential violent abusers of women and children with the portrayal of women as victims of men and protectors of children is gynocentrism in practice.
Gynocentrism has fostered bias against males based upon their sex in all areas of society and government programs and policies and in the enforcement of laws, rules, and regulations. The movement for equality between men and women has resulted in more female privilege than under the chivalry of the pre 1960’s equality movement. The portrayal of the “patriarchal oppressive male” has resulted in the acceptance of outright hostility, oppression, persecution and assaults upon men.
A good example of gynocentrism relative to boys is the focus on girls in S.T.E.M. which is all over the news and government web sites, yet no mention of boys falling behind in education or the fact that women now account for over 65% of college graduates. Â You can go to a Proposal for a White House Council on Boys and Men for more on this topic.
The following 4 general categories of issues impacting men all evolved from gynocentrism being put into practice by institutions, organizations, and government.
Biased Treatment of Males by Government: All 3 branches of government at both the state and the federal level practice gynocentrism in the enactment of laws, rules, and regulations. This under the guise of protecting “victims”, often to “prevent” an offense. The bias is applied to men and boys alike.
Selective service registration for males and a pass for females has to top the list. The unequal argument that women shouldn’t be made to register is countered successfully by demands that women be allowed to fill combat roles. Equal?
Women are guaranteed custody of children and men guaranteed to be assessed to pay her. A single mother without income gets welfare and benefits, a single father gets excluded from his children and if without income gets incarcerated.
Even though victimization rates are almost equal between males and females in all categories, male victims of sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, and assault at the hands of females are dismissed. Programs exist for the female victim, none for the male. There are virtually no services or shelters for abused men.
Female Impunity, excusing the actions of women in the application and enforcement of policies, laws, rules, and regulations, is rampant. Women are charged at lower levels than men for the same offense, if charged at all. They are given reduced sentences for the same offense, often dismissed with no jail time or time already served. This while men are considered guilty until they prove they are innocent. The rule of law turned on its head.
Young, even pre-teen boys seduced by older women teachers are portrayed as “Lucky Studs” and the actions of the person in a position of power and control over them has her rape dismissed with some abuse excuse while similar action by a male with a female minor are met with indignation, an unequal application of the law.
Equally intoxicated college lovers results in the male being charged with sexual assault as she can’t consent due to intoxication yet her “abuse” of him as he can’t consent due to intoxication is dismissed. Blatant sexual bias will result in him going through an inquisition by college officials who will persecute him to keep their Title IX funding from the federal government coming. This in cases field by a third party where she admits to the consensual nature of the event.
Biased Treatment of Fathers in Family Courts: is so blatant that it is offensive that anyone would admit to being a part of it. More on that on the Child Support Reform and Parental Rights and Responsibilities Pages.
Denial of Reproductive Rights:
The above says it all. In NYS the Court of Appeals ruled that a fathers right to reproduction ends at ejaculation. Duped dads who with DNA proof in hand find out they are not the father are still held accountable for “child support”. Forced fatherhood against his will with no right to “abort”. How is this “equality”?
Denial of Due Process of Law: Men, considered guilty from the get go by police, prosecutors, and judges, are often arrested without reasonable cause. Charged high they are then offered a deal for a minimal fine and/or sentence. Many are denied bail and sit incarcerated pending an initial hearing. To prove your innocence is to risk serious jail time, often multiple years so time served and cut your losses and run is the smart option, but one which allows government to hide their abusive injustices towards men.
“Child support” (actually a child excise tax) can be assessed on ability to earn and is often set so high that payers owe more than can be max garnished by law. They find themselves living on a scant 35% of their gross income and when they fall far enough behind they find themselves incarcerated. Ironically, that is considered a “voluntary reduction in income” and the bill keeps running while in debtors prison.
Men’s issues are the lack of equality and equal treatment under the law. Gynocentrism, female impunity, unequal treatment in programs, denial of due process, and the lack of equal opportunity for all should be everybody’s issues.