Undead Sexist Cliche: to oppose rape is to hate men

This is an Undead Sexist Cliche I blogged about almost a decade ago, that taking action against rape or harassment is an attack on men. The classic argument was that women would make false rape accusations at the drop of a hat, therefore treating rape charges seriously is an attack on men. Plus boys will be boys — to punish rapists is to criminalize male sexuality. Which is bullshit because rape is not some natural male behavior, it’s a choice. An evil one.

Mixed in with that is the old cliche that feminists don’t want equality, they want to hurt men and seize their power. Opposition to the fight against harassment and sexual assault isn’t misogynist, it’s anti-anti-misogynist, which is totally different … somehow.

Thus we get alleged rapists such as the Southern Baptist leader Johnny Hunt suing in supposed outrage that they’ve been alleged to be such. As I understand it, the allegation didn’t cost him anything — he wasn’t removed from his post, arrested or otherwise punished — but he sued anyway.

Now Alexandra Brodsky (author of Sexual Justice) says college men accused of sexual harassment are suing on the grounds going through Title IX procedures violates their rights (if you want to know why that’s bullshit, check out Brodsky’s excellent book): “The male plaintiffs of these cases are students who were accused of and penalized for sexual misconduct at their schools, and they allege that Title IX policies violated their rights specifically because of their gender. Circuit courts ruled in favor of both plaintiffs.” As Brodsky, Bolger and Singh’s paper notes, ‘this backward reasoning suggests that civil rights enforcement is a form of discrimination against dominant groups.'”

Which of course is the same logic as Alabama banning the teaching of divisive topics — mustn’t tell white boys anything that would make them even slightly uncomfortable with their privilege. No, technically it talks about making anyone uncomfortable but I doubt a teacher’s going to get in trouble for saying slavery wasn’t that bad. Or a proposed Florida bill that calling someone sexist or racist is automatic defamation. I’m willing to bet Sen. Jason Brodeur wouldn’t think saying Democrats serve Satan or dropping the n-word is equally objectionable or Fox host Greg Gutfeld saying AOC only supports immigration because she’s horny. Much the same way some Republicans are outraged to have abortion claims fact-checked or for Yelp to point out crisis pregnancy centers don’t offer medical care.

Or consider Texas, where one legislator is pushing a bill that would give tax breaks to married couples with large families but only if they’re straight and have never divorced. Republicans squeal like stuck pigs about how gays/blacks/women get supposed special benefits but they’re fine if the Right People are on the receiving end.

Similarly we have Ben Shapiro objecting that the left hates military masculinity, presumably because liberals are open to gays and women serving. And that questioning the toxic part of masculinity is yet another war on men where women won’t let them be strong leaders. Pastor Jack Hibbs is a complementarian so I would guess what he means is that men get to lead and dominate all the time — which is not the same thing.

For more examples of misogynist bullshit and double standards, read Undead Sexist Cliches, available as a Amazon paperback, an ebook and from several other retailers.