Men's groups are the backbone of the men's movement. They are a good thing, says Michael Flood.
I JOINED my first men's group when I was 20, and it profoundly changed my life. Seven years on, I'm passionately committed to men's issues.
For the last three years I've been part of two great men's groups: the Canberra branch of Men Against Sexual Assault, and those lovely men in the XY editorial group.
Four lessons, and plenty of homework. That's what Michael Flood took home from the Adelaide sessions.
I learnt important lessons about pro-feminist activism, and lessons that are important for all men, in the four-day sessions in Adelaide. I felt challenged, inspired and confused.
Three terms have become the guiding principles for anti-sexist men in Australia, but what do they mean? Michael Flood pins them down.
Male-positive. Pro-feminist. Gay-affirmative. These three terms have become the guiding principles for a substantial section of the men's movement, including this magazine and Men Against Sexual Assault groups around Australia. What do they each mean, and what should they look like in practice?
Is XY anti-male? Is it male-bashing? Founding editor Michael Flood thinks not, putting the case for the defence and raising broader questions about men and men's politics.
While XY gets its fair share of positive feedback, it also regularly receives the feedback that it is "anti-male". Is this true, why might XY be seen this way, and what can we do about it?
The best involvements in men's or boys' issues, whether as a men's movement participant, a social worker or counsellor, or policy-maker, are guided by three interrelated principles: they are male-positive, they are gender-just, and they recognise diversity and are inclusive.
Do you need a solid social analysis of masculinity? Of course you do. Well, look no further than Bob Connell’s new book, Masculinities. Michael Flood got the story.
The mythopoetic men's movement in the US, and now in Australia, is concerned with spirituality and personal growth, using mythology and ritual. Michael Flood offers an outline and critique, and explores the practicalities of the movement.
Can Men Against Sexual Assault transform men's attitudes to violence, and can it foster an anti-sexist men's movement? Bob Pease, a long-term member of MASA in Melbourne, hopes so. He is interviewed by Michael Flood.*
Note: This is the second part of an interview with Bob Pease. The first part is titled "Make a difference", and was published in XY, 3(3), Spring 1993.
How is it in men's interests to dismantle a system that also seems to serve their interests? Bob Pease, an man who has been active in anti-sexist politics since 1975 and who was one of the architects of the first Men Against Sexual Assault group, explains the paradox. He is interviewed by Michael Flood.
