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EuroPROFEM - The European Men Profeminist Network http://www.europrofem.org
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85en_vio ... Violence Men Against Sexism
The
National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS)
Local
men against sexism linked to national organization
Mainely
Men against Violence & Sexism
U.S. Men's Antiviolence Organizations ______________________________________________________ MenAgainstSexism@@@onelist.com To subscribe, go to http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/MenAgainstSexism
MenAgainstSexism(AT)onelist.com is a forum for (pro)feminist men who want support,inspiration, and educational dialogue from one another, in an attempt to foster a sense of community while engaging in our everyday struggles to confront our place and roles in a patriarchal society. MenAgainstSexism@onelist.com is open to people of all genders but will primarily be focused on the processes of men confronting sexism. This list is open to everyone, however we will not tolerate discriminatory remarks of any kind. We recognize that discriminatory remarks are a form of verbal abuse, and prevent abuse is one of our goals. The moderator of MenAgainstSexism@onelist.com is a (pro)feminist man of Arab descent who believes in the freedom from oppression of all people. "I was a frail kid, and I got beat up a lot. I learned that if you
make...people laugh, they can't run as fast." -Sherman Alexie The National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS)
is the oldest pro-feminist men's group in the United States. Founded in 1975 with the First National Conference on Men & Masculinity, for over 25 years NOMAS has promoted the cause of gender equality and social justice for everyone through its principles of pro-feminism, gay-affirmation, anti-racism and enhancing men's lives.
NOMAS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization registered in Illinois with its national office currently located in Louisville, CO. Membership dues and donations are tax-deductible and are used to support educational programs to promote the NOMAS principles and the impact they can have on society.
NOMAS Divisions Men & Masculinity Conferences For 27 years NOMAS has held national conferences focued on the issues of
men and masculinity. National Men & Masculinity conferences are the
finest occasions for activists, academics, workers in mental health,
diversity, faith communities, domestic and sexual violence, and anyone
interested in gathering, organizing, and working to end all forms of
oppression and injustice and to celebrate choice, alternatives, and
possibilities. Local men against sexism linked
to national organization
Stereotypes classify men as macho and masculine, while women are sensitive and feminine. Several groups at Ohio University, including OU Men Against Sexism, are challenging these issues of masculinity, sexism and sexual violence in society. “The ideas of masculinity that are presented in the media affect the way men set up their behaviors,” OUMAS member Andrew Lombardi said. “It’s very similar to how it’s done to women in the media. The way it portrays ‘correct’ body type and how it deals with issues about sexuality, especially when they make being male relational to heterosexuality.” For the past year, OUMAS has tried to shatter these stereotypes through open discussions with men in Mackinnon and James residence halls. “We wanted to provide a forum where people could discuss these issues,” said Steve Kehnel, co-founder of OUMAS. Lombardi said the goals of OUMAS have not yet been defined for the year but will continue to challenge sexism and patriarchy in society. The group plans to continue to mix community outreach with discussion during weekly meetings, he said. OUMAS also hopes to offer more events and discussions on campus, Kehnel said. Although discussions may continue to focus on the social issues of sexism and masculinity, Kehnel said he hopes to offer more events on specific topics. “We really want to focus on more concrete campaigns like men’s health,” Kehnel said. “When someone says ‘men’s health’ you think of weightlifting and exercise, but there’s more to it than that.” Kehnel said he would like to collaborate with the student group Promoting OU Wellness, Education and Responsibility and the Office of Health Education and Wellness with a men’s health week. Director of health education and wellness, Char Kopchick said she met with OUMAS about a possible collaboration this year. “No specific plans have been made, but our hope is that POWER and Office of Health Education and Wellness can work with OUMAS throughout the year,” she said. Kehnel and a small group of other students created OUMAS more than a year ago as a chapter of the National Organization of Men Against Sexism. Kehnel said, after attending a NOMAS conference last summer, they decided to organize a local chapter. Although OUMAS is not an official chapter of NOMAS yet, Kehnel said he plans on filing the paperwork this fall.
“We wondered why it was only one week out of the year that we actually talk about sexual assault,” Kehnel said. “We felt we needed to talk about men not just as perpetrators but also as allies in combating sexual assault.”
NOMAS offers a variety of resources to its chapters including moral and financial support, said Moshe Rozdzial, National Co-Chair of NOMAS. According to the bylaws set by NOMAS, each chapter must have at least five NOMAS members and must align themselves by the principles of the national organization. Rozdzial said each of the seven chapters can conduct their own grassroots work as long as they adhere to the basic tenets of pro-feminism, gay-affirmative, anti-racism and enhancing men’s live by transcending the traditional masculine role. Overall, Kehnel said he hopes OUMAS will inspire men and women on campus to think more critically about issues of sexism and the male role in society.
“We’re not experts and we don’t have any answers,” Kehnel said.
“We’re saying here are guys supporting feminism.” Mainely Men against Violence & Sexism Empowering men to end all forms of violence
We think the very definition of masculinity, in our culture, is totally out of balance. It denies that traits like love, caring, patience, and vulnerability are just as masculine as strength and competitiveness. We think that because our idea of masculinity is so out of balance, men feel incomplete. Which makes us feel vulnerable, which makes us ashamed and afraid because 'real men don't feel vulnerable.' So then we've got to cover up those feelings, and the way we do it is the way we've been taught. And that way is to find something to dominate so we can 'prove' that we're 'men.' And this vicious circle just keeps going.
The very way we men are taught to relate to one another is, itself, violent. We're taught that 'being a man' means being in control and displaying power. So from the time we're little boys on the playground, we're always trying to outdo and show one another up. Whether that means trying to hit each other harder while we play football during recess, or as we grow up, bragging about how many girls we've 'scored' with, we're taught that's the way it is, that's the way it's done, and if we do anything different, we're promptly labeled 'wimps' and looked upon as social outcasts. We think, deep down, men recognize the wrongness of this attitude. It just doesn't feel right. And more of us are finally saying so.
We've recognized the fact that the most basic social interactivity we've been taught is violent. And we recognize that if men are going to work to end violence, we've got to start with ourselves, and learn to relate to one another in new ways. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We will never fully experience manhood unless we change the pre-programmed gender roles our culture insists upon. The attitudes men are taught to have about women contain violence, hatred and an underlying assumption of male superiority. By adopting these attitudes, we have locked the door to parts of ourselves, parts of our own humanness, and are prevented from being fully aware of who we are as men. We remain little boys. We can't get past the childish mentality that it's okay to harbor violence, it's okay to say, 'I'm bigger than you, I'm stronger than you, I'm more powerful than you, and that makes me better than you. I've got all the marbles, and I don't have to share.' If we can't learn to share with others, and in particular, to share equal power with women, we will never be able to share with ourselves: The door to adulthood, and manhood, will remain closed and locked. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We men must own up to the fact that rape, domestic violence, and sexual harassment aren't 'women's issues,' aren't problems for women to solve by themselves: These are human issues and problems. We hesitate to say most men don't sexually harass - sexual harassment exists on so many levels, and is so insidiously ingrained into our behavior, we often don't recognize it . But it's safe to say that only a small percentage of men actually are rapists and/or abusers of their wives, girlfriends, and children. Even so, we men are all responsible for these problems, and we're also to blame, because we don't speak out, as a group, against rape and against domestic violence. And that's as bad as condoning it - We would argue that not speaking out is condoning it. Why are we doing this? Because we want to live in a world where we know it's safe for everyone to live. It's not enough to make ourselves feel safe by moving to a 'good neighborhood.' It's not enough to make ourselves feel safe by buying a gun. It's not enough to make ourselves feel safe by acting 'tough.' If the world we live in isn't truly safe for everyone, then we as individuals are not truly safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We're tired of hearing people blame the victims of rape and domestic violence. We're tired of people looking for others to blame period, whether it's the victims, the police, politicians, whoever. Instead of looking for a scapegoat, instead of pointing the finger, why aren't we doing more to stop making a society that makes people who victimize? WE should know better. Sure, we can build more battered women's shelters, start more rape crisis centers, and it's right and important that we do. But until we start taking societal responsibility for the fact that we are the ones who teach children to be violent, and that we are the ones who allow our society to remain a violent one, there will still be rapists, there will still be perpetrators of domestic violence, and there will still be victims. And we will still be pointing the finger at others, copping out as an entire society so that we can ignore the problem some more. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We think the worst part is that we're continuing to raise our children in this climate of violence, and teaching them that there's nothing wrong with it, or that there's nothing they can do about it. What we are teaching them is that the way to deal with violence is to either participate or ignore it. If we're not standing up and saying violence is wrong and it's got to stop, our children aren't going to learn to do that themselves. I care about my wife. I enjoy being close to her, and I don't just mean physically or sexually. I enjoy the emotional closeness, the trust, the sharing. The love. When I share love and trust with my wife, I open my heart to receive love and trust from her. And we both benefit. Sharing love and trust with my wife makes it possible for me to share those things with myself. My confidence in myself increases. My capacity to love others increases. All my human relationships benefit. But I've learned that if I use verbal abuse to deal with a conflict my wife and I have, I destroy trust and destroy the possibility of being close to her and the possibility to share love. And then I begin to lose the ability to share with myself. My heart begins to close. My confidence in myself decreases. My capacity to love others diminishes. All my human relationships suffer. And I suffer. Jeb Enoch U.S. Men's Antiviolence Organizations ---------------------------------------------------------- Men
Against Domestic Violence Men
Overcoming Violence (MOVE)
Men Against Sexual Violence is a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to the elimination of all forms of sexual violence. Read more about it in our Mission Statement. Tulane
Men Against Rape EMERGE Men's
Resource Center of Western Massachusetts National
Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS)
Rochester, NY Meninist Men
Against Sexual Assault and Rape
WA The mission of Western Men Against Violence (WMAV) is to create a campus and community free of violence, to promote relationships based on equality and respect, to encourage positive, healthy expressions of masculinity, and to be visible, outspoken allies for all who experience prejudice and discrimination. Men
Stopping Rape, Inc Men
United Against Sexual Assault V-Day
Men
Resources also on Men Can Stop Rape http://www.mencanstoprape.org/
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