Introduction

Introduction to the Men's Human Rights Movement

A relatively new movement, the Men's Rights Movement (MRM) is only now getting wide publicity. Those within the movement are generally known as Men's Rights Activists.

The movement started to significantly increase in membership from around 2010 onwards. The MRM has many detractors. Some who want to discredit the MRM claim it is a violent movement. This could not be further from the truth. The MRM goes out of its way to be a non-violent movement. The most popular online sites within the movement such as A Voice for Men and the MensRights sub on Reddit actively exclude censure and ban people who make threats of violence or advocate violence.

The MRM is a movement concerned about problems facing men and boys and focuses on bringing attention to the problems in the wider community as well as discussing ways to alleviate and resolve the problems.

Despite what many outside of the movement think this is not just a movement for men. Many women participate in the MRM and often seem to be among the movement's most active contributors. The movement is pluralistic and inclusive. As well as many women the MRM includes gay and transgender men. Participants in the movement come from across the political spectrum. They are united in their recognition of the problems facing men and boys and agree that these problems need to be addressed. Anyone who broadly agrees with the aims of the movement is welcome to participate.

Many of the men who have entered the movement until now have been personally impacted by one or more of these problems. They might be, for example, men who have been dealt with unjustly by the family law courts in their country. After experiencing this they may become aware that their treatment by the courts was common and from there become aware of he broader MRM. Young men may experience discrimination in their high school or University on the basis of their gender and from this may become aware of the broader movement. Increasingly people who have not been personally impacted by these problems are recognising a broader problem in society and are stepping up to make a difference.

The movement is notable for being task focussed. Although there is no one definitive list of the issues that the MRM is addressing there is broad agreement on a core set of issues. Most activists within the movement have certain areas that they focus on.

Disposability of men and boys

We have recognised the disposability of males. In many nations today, and in past centuries, men can be drafted in to a nation's military forces and even sent to war, all against their will. They can be made to fight and die. If they refuse to do so they can be punished terribly. Few societies have ever forced women to enter combat against their will.

Men are a majority of homeless in every nation where reliable data is available and a significant majority in most of these nations.

Domestic violence against men

Men constitute between one third and one half of all victims of domestic violence. A similar proportion of domestic violence aggressors are women. The notion that domestic violence is a gender issues simply does not stack up.

Genital mutilation

Male circumcision is an issue raised by many in the movement.

Violence against men and boys

Many people look at the top of society, to leaders in politics, business and the military and see men. They conclude then that men rule the world. While it is true that men do dominate in leadership roles, it does not follow that all men dominate in society. This is an example of the apex fallacy - looking at the most successful members of a group and judging the group by that standard.

Explain Redpillers, Pick Up Artists and how they differ from MRAs. Explain that Elliot Rodger was not an MRA and there is no evidence he had even heard of the MRM.