In recent times, one thing has been made abundantly and irrefutably clear to me, the male identity is in crisis. Who is he, provider, teacher, guide or is he simply just a sower of “wild oats..?”
Recent stats of rising femicide, woman and child abuse, absentee fathers etc, are alarming to say the least, and show the male as the perpetrator of such heinous, despicable acts.., what has gotten into him you ask? Has he chosen this evil path or could it be that he’s just a monster born?
How about designed, for centuries dare I rightfully say, millenia, society has painted him in a single style, as the arrogant, brash, “alpha male” whose rule is law..? But.., what’s wrong with this picture…? Just one tiny detail, the progression of human kind as a civilization CANNOT AND MUST NOT STAGNATE.
The problem here, the REAL issue and crux of the matter has to do with the reconciliation of the traditional “male” figure within the more modern and progressive culture that is slowly emerging. The women is finally finding her voice, a voice that has for years now been stifled and drowned out by yes, the male.
“Its a maaaan’s world,” Jimmy sang, resigning the woman to just his helper or aid on his path to world domination, a sidekick. The iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, am sure had a few choice and “french” words to say about that theory when she became Britains first female PM and showed the world that she had the chutzpah needed to tumble with the boys.
The man can never really grasp the challenges his female counterpart has had to endure on her way to the top of the ladder in any field, indeed, one can only imagine what Indra Nooyi (CEO of PepsiCo), Ursula Burns (president of Xerox) and Bridgette Radebe (SAs first female magnate) had to face daily in the testerone fuelled, sweaty and chauvinistic world of business. Unfortunately, male privilege casts so big a shadow that it bathes the man in ignorance.
One would assume, that with such great strides that women, in recent years, have shown in the areas of business, science, medicine etc there would be a perception shift in terms of how society views the women, in terms of her capabilities, but one would be wrong.
The subordination of women is still ingrained in society, with rates of Gender Based Violence as high as 46% in Lesotho. In my humble as pie opinion, violence against women is simply just a “power play.”
Psychologist, Lisa Firestone notes that, in most cases, the man displays physical outbursts when his fragile masculinity is called into question, having never truly learned verbal articulation, economies intelligence, our “neanderthal” friend thus results to violence.
Existential crises, patriarchal society has repeatedly drilled into his head that he is more stronger and more powerful than the woman.., but what traditional societal rules have failed to the realise is that human civilizations are PROGRESSING.
Masculinity like the great economic phases in the history of mankind, cannot stagnate, from hunting and gathering, to manufacturing and finally as modern day service providers.., the need for big, burly domineering men has greatly decreased over the years.
Why? because, in a service led economy, brain beats brawn every time, its a free for all, therefore every one should be given a fighting chance regardless of gender, push start and let the games begin and may the best man or WOman win.
What HE needs to understand is the value of WOman kind, to respect her as an equal, to see her as someone with goals and ambitions, not just his maid on his way to the top. But a fellow traveler and confidant if she so chooses.
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