After watching the male students of LREI in New York City undertake classes in feminism from Ileana Jiménez, "the Feminist Teacher" and openly discuss what feminism means and how it's been life changing to understand feminism. It is refreshing to see not just men, but high school students, reflecting on topics such as societal binaries, intersectionality, sex trafficking and defining themselves as feminists!
Although I don't believe a man admitting he is a feminist is really that admirable, because of course equality is something we should all aim for (and not wanting minorities to be raped, murdered and have their general livelihood threatened and compromised everyday doesn't really warrant a trophy). I do understand the pressures that men face to separate themselves from women and society's perception of female issues. It's also important to recognise that high school is a place where fitting in can feel like the number one priority. To be different or stand out is to make yourself a victim straight off the bat and as high school students, that is the last thing we want. This isn't something that ends when you hit eighteen though, this is also a massive part of what manhood is and feeling like you belong in society is a really big thing for everyone. Men often flock together in groups, who share a collective thought and to defy this can often lead to ridicule by your peers or even render you as less of a man.
Now as a university student and as someone who works on one of the most notoriously "ladish" streets in Bristol, I see this every weekend; groups of men who feel safe in performing ludicrously antisocial acts because they either feel safe in their little obnoxious band of men or because they are too afraid to act in any other way. On one occasion I can remember working on the door, taking tickets and money, and after denying entry to a group of about six middle-aged Irish men I was screamed at for being "racist" and as I was crying one pulled his dick out, pushed it in my face and told me he would only leave if I would be so kind as to suck it.
As my own personal experience shows, I've come to believe that so much sexism can be put down to the anonymity that can be felt in a group. Examples all across the board have come to light recently, with sexual assaults in colleges in Massachusetts, Steubenville, Torrington, Michigan, as well as in the UK where racism and sexism in public spaces is only goaded when in groups of university students, and this is only endorsed by the clubs in which they go to. I believe this is one of many reasons as to why rape and group sexual assaults are so common place at college and university; a place where manliness is always in question and group mentalities are rife.
The reason as to why Jiménez's education in feminism appears to work so well for the seven male students who have taken her class is because it takes them away from that group status that allows them to mock and challenge anything and everything for fear of being ridiculed themselves. It allows these young men to be educated and to learn about the importance of feminism with openness and acceptance despite it not being considered a "man's issue". She normalises feminism while allowing them to explore aspects of feminism which apply to them. Nathaniel discusses how "nothing can just be one dimensional" as they were taught about the importance of intersectionality, and how equality transcends gender and how we must fight for equality between people of difference races, classes, sexual orientations and disabilities. Nathaniel later went onto feature on Nickelodeon to talk about feminism alongside Gloria Steinem.
As I said before, a man believing he is a feminist is no more ground breaking than a women believing she is however it does mean a massive step towards equality as more and more men each day are becoming more supportive. It means that the feminism is no longer a strictly "female issue" as it has been for a long time. The large majority of modern men are unconcerned by the issues which affect minorities because they feel they are unaffected by them, despite often having the most control over them.
With more questions heading towards whether sex education should be taught at a younger age or not here in the UK, social politics, gender studies, body politics and consent, equality and an openness towards differences in race, religion and sexuality of everyone are equally important for children in high school to learn about. It must be taught before fears of social stigma and worries of becoming an outcast in the eyes of their peers begin to become the most important aspect of teenage life. Despite my generation's education being one of the most developed thus far, there is definitely so far to go. I was one of few who never taught about sex education and I never put a condom on a banana or rubber dildo. But this is definitely not the only important thing to be teaching in schools. There is a huge lack of education when it comes showing children how to grow up with openness and understanding.
The only downfall to Jiménez's uplifting video is the overbearing message in the About section of her Youtube post. Only seven boys took her gender studies course in two years and despite that being an amazing feat, it is a very tiny minority of the men that have passed through high schools all over America. At this point it is important to reiterate that feminism which doesn't accept men cannot really be for equality as equality is inclusive of everyone. However, it is equally important that women, people of colour, those with disabilities and all those who fall under the LGBT spectrum have a platform in which to teach, learn and promote, and protest without the fear of subjugation, ridicule and torment. men must also realise that feminism is not a platform for them to be overbearing or invade and they are not entitled a place because they are a man.
“Men who want to be feminists do not need to be given a space in feminism. They need to take the space they have in society & make it feminist.”
- Kelley Temple, National Union of Students UK Women’s Officer
Of course, what Jiménez has does is amazingly important - she is educating young men on how they can use their privilege and status as men to recognise and then fight against systematic oppression. She is also rescuing the very same young men that could by chance be lost into the lad culture that prizes the kind of threatening anti-social behaviour that the vast majority of women have suffered at the hand of. They now fight against the same behaviour that society encourages which dictates masculinity is dictated through an entitlement to women's bodies with or without consent.
Watch the video here!
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