Advocacy
General
- Don't bother debating with feminists
- They may or may not be open to alternative viewpoints but it doesn't really matter
- Bypass them and advocate to people who are yet to commit to one side or the other, the media and politicians
- Men, because they are the ones at risk now
- The media, because they still have access to a large audience
- Politicians because they are the ones who can change the laws
Debating
- Always take the high ground when debating
- Stick to the facts
- If you can't back it up I don't say it
- Never ever make personal attacks
- If someone makes a personal attack against you state clearly that they have done this and that it is unacceptable
- When someone makes a personal attack they are conceding their opponent's point
- If they could attack the argument on merit they would be better off doing so
- Better to say nothing than to get personal
- Remember, undecided people are lurking
- If you say that someone is wrong you need to back it up, ideally with multiple sources
- If you are expressing an opinion make it clear that it is an opinion
- Don't draw parallels between different sorts of discrimination
- Such comparisons are often very complex and make a poor basis for analogy
- They can result in the conversation spiralling off-topic
- Don't give them anything to attack you on except the facts
- If you make a mistake, admit it, apologise if appropriate and move on
Examples
Good
- Talking about education failing boys (with data)
- Negating partiarchy
- Negating rape culture
- Negating feminist claims to advocate for equality
Bad
- Claiming hypergamy is proven