A new wave of men have joined forces to openly call out gender stereotypes… but it may not be what you think.
So called ‘meninists’ or ‘menimists’ (both are apparently accepted) are a new trend of men who predominantly aim to point out the double standards women themselves set and make light of a range of gender issues – whether warranted or not.
The validity to a number of their arguments varies – from stopping prejudice against guys who fall just shy of 6 foot to only having a ‘women in history’ section in libraries.
But it does shine light on a number of gender issues that do in fact fall in a female’s favour.
Should girls offer to shout on a first date or open the door for their male counterparts? Be offended when asked to make a sandwich but expect a man to take out the trash?
Take a look at some of the most popular tweets surrounding the issue recently and see what you think!
You can take bikini pics with your friends, but when I take shirtless pictures with my friends I’m gay? #MenimistTwitter #YesAllMen
— iwishitweeted (@iwishitweeted) December 19, 2014
Why are women free before 11 at clubs and men aren’t? That’s just sexist. #Menimism #MenimistTwitter
— B∆RT (@BartBroski) December 19, 2014
Why don’t guys under 6ft get a chance? #MenimistTwitter #YesAllMen
— D.J. (@ThatGuyDJ10) November 10, 2014
why don’t you put the toilet seat up for me? #MenimistTwitter
— Ollie lello (@ollielello) December 18, 2014
No one ever tells me I’m beautiful on my birthday 🙁 #YesAllMen
— MIKE TYSON (@Victurissmo) December 19, 2014
Why can’t she carry me to bed? #menimisttwitter
— 2 tinzzz (@JeffBaetzhold34) November 10, 2014
All these female emojis but guys only get like 3 #EqualityForMen pic.twitter.com/0OPSkRr8Mb
— MENINISM (@MENlNIST) November 16, 2014
“@iCelestial: She so real RT @_WSBG: Hope she goes to prison for this sexual assault pic.twitter.com/nZf0QpNCnf” #MenimistTwitter
— . (@Marc_Solo) November 14, 2014
#MenimistTwitter “@MENlNIST: Alex From Target is a perfect example. pic.twitter.com/jwk2aMavOh“
— Bofa D’s (@RAY_tedR) November 11, 2014
One Video Blogger Kat Blaque is not a huge fan of the trending topic due to many men not understanding feminism and what they are indeed trying to fight against. While many meninists’ believe they are anti-feminists, a lot of what they are fighting for is actually aligned (at least as far as paying your own way in dates and being treated the same).
Perhaps what can get lost behind the colourful memes and parody accounts is that there are still a number of social stigmas and gender issues that do face men and that society does continue to perpetuate.
And often the masculine stereotype can do more harm than good.
What do you think of the meninist trend and do they have a point? Or just fodder in retaliation to the feminism war?