Decent MRA forums

[lykin005]

Does anyone know of any MRA forums which are generally speaking tolerant, reasonable, not stupid, and just generally pretty cool? I've found this place to be pretty epic and so I'd like to find another place with a similar atmosphere that deals in men's issues.

[Storage and Disposal]

None at all. I've only seen sexist ones.

[spacefem]

If you find one let us know.

[rowan]

I will admit I've only looked at a couple that the trolls have mentioned here. Which is to say, no, I haven't found any good ones. Besides we talk enough about men's issues - real ones, as opposed to made-up ones - here anyway.

[kelsa]

What exactly do you want? You're not going to find a feminist discussion arena that gives airtime to men's issues using the term men's rights activists, for the reasons I and everyone else listed in your last thread. I already gave you the link to National Organization of Men Against Sexism. They have a page of listed partners, and chapters in many locations. You can also start threads here and in other feminist forums about gender equality issues and they will generally be received well if you keep in mind all the advice given to you, again, in your last thread. If you want to discuss men, you can provide those opportunities for discussions. Sitting around and whining (not that you're exactly doing that) about how feminists never talk enough about men is the hallmark trait of a Men's Rights Asshole.

[drunken dragon]

We don't know of any non-bullshit MRA forums. Do some research and report back.

[monk]

Sadly lykin every mens rights forum I've visited are filled with men who feel they have been wronged by society in the name of feminism or have been wronged by women who call themselves feminists and somehow used that as a club to beat on them. Though you can engage them in strict debate using facts and figures you can't have any conversations like the ones we've had here without falling prey to flaming, vitriolic exchanges that do nothing be reaffirm their pain.

I personally see those sites as group therapy for men who've had it rough and hopefully their group misery alleviates some of the pain they take out on their children and other associations in meat space.

[lykin005]

To Kelsa: And that's why I'm looking for a men's right's forum! I would like to find a place dedicated to discussion on these sorts of issues and a place where I can get many different opinions and views on these topics. This is a place dedicated to feminism, I'm looking for a place dedicated masculism. I'm not switching sides or anything I just want more information.

To Drunken Dragon: In my preliminary search I've found that most men's rights community's are very reactionary and want nothing to do with as they would say, "feminazi's." Their also hilariously masculine with names like spearhead and colors made up of gunmetal grey and blister brown.

To Monk: It really is sad that these guy's are so blinded by pain that they can't see that feminism is a very positive thing and certainly can be a mutually beneficial thing. I understand that they may have been hurt by people claiming to be feminists or have been screwed in a divorce or something but we need to work together not work against each other.

[rowan]

The problem is that "men's rights" activist/forum is in essence a code phrase for jerks who don't want equality. So you can't really look for that, specifically, without finding what monk says. Check out the link kelsa gave you and follow up on some of the partner organizations.

[spacefem]

Ya know, actually this thread (which I initially kinda totally dismissed, I admit it) has me thinking.

There are definitely men's rights that are important. The pressure to "provide for your family" when you'd rather be a stay at home dad, the fact that the media portrays you as a neanderthal, the homophobia that keeps high school boys in rigid boxes to avoid looking the littlest bit gay. As much as I hate it when people try to make our every conversation about men, surely there's some place on the internet where these issues are discussed, don't you think?

And that place probably isn't an MRA... but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, right?

[LunchBox]

There are men's rights issues that I could take seriously if they weren't aimed to bash feminism and women in general. Also if they were legit-ly backed up it would be nice. Every men's rights thing I've seen on the internet has been one massive circle jerk of arrogant, chauvinistic, ding dongs. That's not to say there aren't some reasonable men's rights activists, just not that I have seen.

[rowan]

Oh, absolutely there are men's issues. I just think that "MRA" is not the place to look for reasonable people.

[Eravial]

At first I thought such a thing did not exist, and as has been said, it probably doesn't under the MRA label. However, I just had an idea of something else you could try searching. In my Women and Gender class last semester, a guy came in to talk about a small local organization he started as a place for stay-at-home dads to get together and talk about difficulties in being a stay-at-home dad and fatherhood in general. It seems that they mostly address the feelings of lesser worth from being primary caregivers, the issue of divorce and custody, and gender stereotypes that they were personally hurt by. What's interesting, though, is that he said his group identifies as feminist, not masculist, despite the fact that they primarily discuss the specific effects of sexism that hurt men. I highly doubt you'll find any truly equality-minded men's rights advocates who are not also feminists.

You may have some success in searching for "equalist" forums, which is sometimes used by people who want to discuss sexism issues without talking about women specifically, but as might be expected, sometimes "equalists" are just as thuggish as men's rights activists because they want to discuss discuss sexism issues with even acknowledging women.

[zibber]

I know a guy around here who does stuff like organize little conversation groups for dads and stuff like that, but he is first and foremost a "feminist".

Just.. quit looking into that whole MRA stuff. It's not that "some MRA people are just reactionaries", it's that MRA IS REACTIONARY. You are verily a nobly openminded person (and keep emphasizing how nobly openminded you are), but there is plenty of feminist literature for you to sink your teeth into if you are really dead set on exploring feminism. And a bunch of it gives plenty of attention to "men's issues". Just don't be so focused on words like "masculism". If you read Butler, for instance, that's a two way street (in the sense that there are no streets). But you wouldn't even be able to discern that if you go into it with that mindset of yours.

[lykin005]

I think you all may be right about the MRA's. I've not found an MRA site which didn't have a link or a comment suggesting that feminism is a propaganda or otherwise just an evil thing. That NOMAS link was very interesting and they say that all prejudice and hate is linked and connected and I think there's a lot of truth to that. For me I want to learn about MR because there are issues that men unfairly face, and they deserve a voice and a movement to insure these things are taken care of. However this should not (and doesn't have to) be done in a way that takes away from woman's rights or maintains current systems of unfairness toward woman.

[Rainbow Dolphins]

^Honestly, there is a movement for that, and it's called Feminism.