The Men’s Action Network will host a barbecue at 5 p.m. tonight in Simpson’s Plaza to raise awareness for the new organization.
The Men’s Action Network, sometimes referred to as Men Against Violence, has not officially chosen the group’s name, but is an organization currently working with the STOP Violence Program.
“In my opinion, gender violence is everyone’s problem. This group is trying to promote an open space to have a dialogue about these issues,” MAN member Sean Miller said.
An objective for the organization is educating men on gender violence and healthy masculinity.
“Most perpetrators of sexual violence are men, which can be shocking for most men to hear,” Miller said.
Miller says that even though men are usually taught not to hit or disrespect women by using derogatory terms, some still do, and media can portray the typical “masculine man” stereotype negatively.
“Look at music videos and artists like Eminem. That’s who’s usually thought of as the typical masculine man,” Miller said.
Last semester, Miller was in a class that helped organize Take Back the Night. While campaigning for the event, flyers were released with sexual assault statistics regarding fraternities and sororities, and Miller said the flyers sparked controversy.
“Some people were upset that we put those statistics about the Greek community on the flyers. In a way, it’s supposed to upset you so that it will grab your attention,” Miller said.
Miller is also hoping that MAN will be able to rid the stereotypes of masculinity as well as feminism.
Usually, when someone thinks of a feminist, a woman comes to mind, but that image is changing due to the appearance of male activists.
Examples include former NFL quarterback Don McPherson, who spoke at Monday’s Slut Walk, and President Barack Obama, who appeared on the cover of Ms. Magazine wearing a shirt that said “This is what a feminist looks like.”
“I think women have embraced men who go into this work. More men are going to events like Take Back the Night, and I think that provides a safe place for women,” Miller said. “For women to see male advocates challenging the stereotypes is great.”
However, attending events that rally for women rights is not enough to stop gender violence.
“Men need to actively confront others when they hear rape jokes and stand up for women. I know nobody wants to be ‘that guy,’ but it is important to confront these issues,” Miller said.
Miller hopes that MAN will empower men to share their ideas and feelings about gender issues.
“I think we as men are afraid to share our ideas about it and I think there are a lot of negative connotations that come with getting involved, but in my opinion gender issues are everyone’s problem,” Miller said.
Group members want the Men’s Action Network to be for everybody, he said.
