Warren Farrell, widely considered to be the “Father” of the MRA movement, initially became involved in gender studies while at university, even joining the National Organisation for Women’s New York chapter in the 1960’s before publishing his 1974 book “The Liberated Man”. His work argued that women were not the only ones hindered by sexism – gender roles hurt men too. It is important to note that his work was vastly popular with feminists of era, including Gloria Steinem and Barbara Walters. Female feminists were not threatened or hurt by Farrell shining a light on the hurt faced by men in an unjust society – they embraced it. However, when (after a nasty divorce) Farrell’s work shifted to claiming women were only after power, not equality, feminists began to distance themselves and wronged men began to flock. They engaged with the notion of having somewhere to focus their overwhelming disenchantment with the state of the world and their own lives, as well as feeling strongly about the issues faced by men. As the movement grew it found a voice in online forums, internet chatrooms and other dark corners of the web. There it seemed to mutate and multiply, becoming a source of harassment and online abuse, targeted at out-
spoken women. MRAs, in some instances, even take their bullying to the next level by releasing the personal information of their victims (“doxing”) and even confronting these women in person. This is not to say that MRAs are all inherently misogynistic internet trolls. However, this is the tone often adopted by its more prominent voices, to the point where the entire movement is so warped and incoherent that the opposite of their espoused goal of “equality” is being furthered by their practices.

This is caused by the movement’s unwillingness to recognise an essential fact – men’s issues are feminist issues, just as much as women’s issues. However, due to the increasing social visibility of female empowerment movements, and the increased sharing of female narratives in all forms of media, it feels to a lot of MRAs that women are being prioritised over them. In other words, they feel that the gains made in women’s rights mean a decline in those afforded to men. This is incorrect. A triumph against the patriarchy is very much a triumph for both men and women. Enormous strides have been made with regard to dismantling toxic masculinity and reducing the shocking statistics around male suicide, but there is still along way to go in fully addressing these issues. Conversely, it can often feel as if women are the only group benefiting from feminism, as they have had so much farther to climb.
It is undeniable that historically women have been far more disadvantaged by their sex than men, and when looking
at mainstream media it can feel as though the women’s movement is making daily strides forward, while the progress in male spaces may feel slower and deprioritised.

It is not unreasonable that MRAs feel this way. Men have been placed in an extremely long historic shadow, being expected to solely bear the burden of being hypermasculine, stoic and emotionless in the face of being the sole breadwinner, in what is currently a rapidly changing and often unpredictable economy. Not to mention the small injustices faced every day, such as the emphasis on “women and children” casualties in a tragic news story, the satirisation of both hyper-macho and overly effeminate males alike in popular culture, and the implication that young boys are less emotionally intelligent than females – MRAs have a lot of material to work with. However, every injustice raised by the MRA movement is related to gender bias and patriarchal attitudes. This essentially means that on the other end of every male-centric issue is a female-centric one and vice versa. For instance, when looking at the bias against fathers in Family Court, you can weigh it against the historic pressure placed on women to take on home duties and be the primary nurturer in their respective household. The purpose of this exercise is not to have a dick measuring contest over who is the most oppressed, but rather to show how male issues are inextricably linked to feminism. By dismantling inequality, gender bias and patriarchal oppression, which are the core concerns of the feminist movement, you are consequently solving the issues raised by MRAs. This means that, every time a MRA tries to delegitimise or undermine feminist discourse, they are effectively shooting themselves in the foot.

Feminists aren’t against the valid issues raised by MRAs regarding gender bias – they fundamentally strive for equality of the sexes. Giving women’s issues increased publicity does not mean there is not enough spotlight left for male problems. Dismantling the patriarchy and questioning male privilege does not rob men of anything. Feminists loving women doesn’t mean they hate men, only the systems which cause inequality. The current form of the MRA movement also largely lacks the diversity and intersectionality that has become a hallmark of modern feminism. Yes, it is accurate to say that men are far more likely to end up in prison than women, but it is not the whole picture. Factors including income, education, ethnicity and mental health also need to be considered and advocated for.

Fundamentally, the causes of male discrimination are the same as those that cause female discrimination, and that feminists try to dismantle. Therefore, the MRA movement cannot be considered legitimate, as a movement that works against its own aims cannot then justify its own existence.

The post Against MRAs appeared first on IH Globe.

The line between the two was so clearly drawn, and I hardly questioned why the two were bordered like so, why they were mutually exclusive from one another. I didn’t wonder who defined the ‘right’ from the ‘wrong’. I just acepted it as how it was, how life was supposed to be, no questions or doubts. Afterall, didn’t everyone play by the same rules?

Enter my first semester in Arts, and I was told by every single one of my tutors that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. This left me completely bewildered, of course. How could it be that there was no ‘correct’ answer? I didn’t get it. My whole past education, my teachers always defined what the ‘correct’ behaviour and set of answers to an assignment were.

And I’ve been pondering over this for the past number of weeks, and here’s what I think: what we think is defined as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ is shaped by how we were brought up.

I could tell you that it’s called ‘slippers’, but you disagree and correct me, that it’s called ‘thongs’. But neither of us are wrong, we are both correct. It doesn’t matter that its called ‘slippers’ or ‘thongs’, or whether its called ‘football’ or ‘soccer’. These are all just preferences, opinions and perspectives that we’ve gathered while growing up from different backgrounds. And perhaps instead of projecting what we think onto others, we should come to respect one another instead.

We also shouldn’t be so quick as to define, categorise and label something either. It’s never as simple as that, there are always more layers, stories and reasons to it. Such as people. We all have different heights, builds, backgrounds and experiences. And these are all our layers, which are what makes us interesting and multidimensional.

So, let us look at life in a plethora of colour, instead of constricting our vision to simply black and white.

The post Everything In Between appeared first on IH Globe.

The way you speak directly impacts the people around you and influence the culture of college whether you want it to or not.

“Lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and transgender and gender diverse people are much more likely to experience depression and anxiety than the broader population. They are also at a greater risk of suicide and self-harm.” – beyondblue

If someone is questioning their sexuality or their gender identity, or hasn’t shared it publicly, it is the people around them and their attitudes that play a big part in determining their mental health.

You might not see the harm in calling your mate a ‘faggot’ for a joke, but sometimes that’s all it takes to keep someone in the closet, or the last straw before they decide life isn’t worth living.

You don’t get to decide if what you say hurts someone, and staying silent only makes you part of the problem. If you hear something that’s not okay, SAY SOMETHING, stand up for those people who don’t have a voice and be part of the solution.

Just in case you need a refresher;

• Gay is not a synonym for ‘bad’
• Calling someone a ‘retard’ shows you think disabled people are inferior
• Using ‘faggot’ in pretty much any context is not okay (and nah, don’t pretend you’re talking about sticks)
• Homo and dyke- also not okay

Pick up your game guys, it’s sad that I have to spell this out to a bunch of generally inclusive and friendly adults.

It might be time that people took another look at the core values of IH and assess if their actions truly value difference, and show their commitment to a caring community.

The post Are You Part Of The Problem? – Carrie CV appeared first on IH Globe.

As you are reading this with a plate of food in front of you, take a moment to consider the journey the food takes, from farm to factory to our kitchen and finally on the very plate you’re eating from. Sadly, one-third of the food produced do not end up in people’s stomach and is wasted instead. Food wastage occurs at many points along the production the line. While many of these are out of our immediate control, we can reduce consumer-end food wastage. When you discard edible food, so much more goes to waste. What is at stake is the water needed to grow the food and fuel for transporting the food. Food waste does not magically vanish. Another trip is needed to transport them away. What a waste of energy! Decomposing food gives off methane, a greenhouse gas.

What can you do?

• Take only what you need. When serving yourself, take only what you think you can finish. Often, we take more food than our appetite can handle. If unsure, just take less. Seconds (or even thirds) will always be waiting for you.

• Communicate clearly to serving staff. When being served, communicate clearly to the CaterCare staff how much you wish to eat. A simple ‘less’, ‘more’ or ‘half the amount’, will go a long way in reducing food wastage.

• Take leftovers from neighbouring tables at High Table and Community Dinners. Food safety guidelines dictates that any food that has left the kitchen must be discarded if not consumed. If you’re still hungry after your firsts, check if there are any leftovers at the tables near you before asking the kitchen.

Statistically speaking, young consumers aged 18 to 24 are one of the biggest wasters of food in Australia. Let’s do things differently and buck this trend at International House.

The post From Plate to Mouth – Bo Qing Ong appeared first on IH Globe.

Earlier this month hundreds of large boulder-like rocks were strategically placed on the streets of Northern Paris, France, to deter migrants from finding shelter in the night on the streets. The atrocity of this blew up immeasurably, and stone carvers from all over the country congregated together to make a change.

The Stone Carvers, in protest of the municipality’s actions, moved the rocks out of the way, creating a space for the migrants to seek refuge. The Carvers didn’t stop there, instead taking the time to engrave messages into the rocks to the migrants, permanently setting their support into stone (both figuratively and literally).

One such message read, “Mon âme est tombée dans la fosse et ils ont mis sur met une pierre,” which translates to “My soul fell into the pit and they put a stone on me”.

Unfortunately their work was stopped when the police arrived on the scene, nonetheless the Stone Carvers are adamant to persevere in any way they can.

“We will try to do something so when people pass by, they can see something other than piles of stones that prevent people from sleeping,” said Richard, a burly Stone Carver, “And to remind (people) we are supposed to be a welcoming country, a civilised country. We are not civilised when we see this.”

Approximately 400 migrants were sleeping in the area, unable to move into the incredibly overcrowded migrant center – housing roughly 5000 people – nearby.

Florent Savi, another Stone Carver, shared his thoughts as well: “With stones, we don’t stop people from living. With stones, we build houses, mosques, cathedrals, churches, synagogues. We build temples of life and love.”

The Extent of Brotherhood

Roughly at the same time but on the other side of the world, dozens of Jewish headstones were vandalized at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia, where 75 to 100 tombstones were pushed over. Just a week earlier, nearly 200 headstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis.

Muslim activist Tarek El-Messidi, who had started a fundraising campaign to help clean up the St. Louis cemetery, sprung to action again after the Philadelphia attack. With a significant surplus of funds left over from previous efforts, work is now being carried out to restore the damage done.

“This attack is not just an attack on our Jewish brothers and sisters, but on our common community,” Salaam Bhatti, a spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA (an American-Muslim organization) also visited the cemetery and helped in the cleanup efforts, said. “We believe we need to be protecting our fellow humans from this extremism.”

Sources: AJ+ and CNN

The post Acts of Kindness appeared first on IH Globe.

March 7th, 2017 marked the beginning of the campaign for “Equal Crossings”. This campaign centres around the gradual implementation of female silhouettes at street crossings to accompany their male counterparts. The Committee for Melbourne, a Victorian non-profit organization, is spearheading this social change with an overarching goal of addressing the discrimination of women through unconscious bias in the form of only male symbols being represented.

It is important to note that while VicRoads has approved a trial run of 10 female pedestrian symbols over a year long period, a deliberation is still in process for the statewide rollout of the symbols. Additionally, there is no taxpayer money being spent throughout the trial period, confirmed Premier Daniel Adams, as the new lights are being provided without charge by Bayswater’s Camlex Electrical. Furthermore, if a statewide rollout was approved the Committee for Melbourne have stated that they estimate it to be “largely cost neutral” as the signs would be changed over during routine maintenance. Not only is this a trial period to see if these new symbols can be transitioned seamlessly, but it’s also a trial period to craft opinions for the people of Melbourne.

Despite the relatively recent introduction of this campaign, sides have already begun to be taken. Those who support the campaign recognize the importance of representation in all aspects of life. If the main goal of the campaign is to work towards eliminating unconscious bias, then it can be argued this is an effective method of targeting this particular goal. For those who live in Melbourne CBD crossings are something that one comes into contact with on an everyday basis, if not more frequently. In fact, it was Brendan Pauwels, VicRoads director of metro projects central, who said he was influenced to initiate this campaign when his daughter questioned as to why “all the crossing symbols were men”. This change has the opportunity to shift the way the youth view something that the majority accept as common knowledge. It is difficult to definitively say how much of an impression unconscious bias makes on our thoughts, and our society as a whole, yet does that mean it shouldn’t be regarded as an important issue?

However, the majority of the responses to the campaign so far have leaned more towards a no, at least in regards to bias in crossing symbols. The Herald Sun reported that in a poll of 12,000 people, roughly 94 per cent of those asked, did not think this was a necessary change to be made. This is not to say that all those who are not in support of this campaign are not advocates for equality, rather they wish to see the same issue being addressed but through a different method. Shadow Minister, Georgie Crozier, adds that “women would prefer safer roads, better footpaths and less congestion on the roads.” Thus, opponents of the campaign believe that time and money would be better dedicated to results that can be measured tangibly, as opposed to the unconscious.

So what do you think? Is including depictions of women in every facet of life important in terms of representation? Is it symbolic of a deeper issue? Is this an appropriate and productive way to combat all of the complex issues associated with gender equality, or should the money and time be geared towards something else instead? You can be judge of that, but at least for the next twelve months, crossings will be equal.

Photo source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-07/female-traffic-light-signals-melbourne-pedestrian-crossing/8330560

The post All signs point to Equality appeared first on IH Globe.

Last year in the US, there were over 370 mass shootings and 13, 286 people were killed by firearms, yet the United States is hesitant to enact legislation to restrict gun access. From the outside, it’s easy to criticize this decision as the American government not caring about the welfare of its citizens, but that’s quite a shallow look at the matter. Many American citizens also share the belief of keeping guns within the hands of citizens. Now this number has decreased in recent years, but those who wish to keep their guns still have the majority. At the same time, there has been a surge in Americans who want the government to be tough on crime, especially in regards to those who use guns irresponsibly. The question then becomes: Why are Americans so unwilling to enact gun legislation while also wanting less gun crime?

A semblance of the answer, as in many cases like this, comes from American history. The United States and guns have been with each other since the very beginning of the country’s inception. The country itself was born on the precipice of war, which, I might add, about a third of the country had no idea took place. Americans take pride in the fact that they fought hard to break away from what they perceived as tyrannical dictatorship through the might of an armed population. Historical figures like George Washington and Paul Revere were admired not only on their charisma, but also because they believed in the undying power of the masses to resist through their arms. As such, when the writing of the constitution took place, the founders of America saw the necessity for Americans to hold on to their weapons. The founders themselves didn’t believe their constitution would last more than 10 years and that the population would have to lead another revolt against the government. One of Thomas Jefferson’s most famous quotes was “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants” showing his deep seated belief in the people having the right to fight back. This strong belief has carried down the generations of Americans to the point that some take the words of the founders as akin to gospel. If you’ve ever heard an American say “The Founding Fathers would be ashamed, blah, blah, blah” then you’ll understand what I mean when I say that their word is considered holy. Because of the deep reverence for their Founders’ words, many Americans are unwilling to let the government change the system created by them. It’s seen as betraying the “true America” that was envisioned in 1776. As well, since the Watergate Scandal involving President Richard Nixon in the 1970s, the government of the States has been on a constant decline in the trust of their people. This has raised the emotional stakes of many gun owners, who feel that it may come to a point where they will need to fight off a new oppressor. So they argue that the government trying to raise legislation to restrict guns, also restricts the ability of the people to depose of a corrupt government, should one arise. There is more to say on this subject, but American history is too long and eventful to surmise in one article

As I’ve said, it is easy for us to look at the Americans and laugh at how silly they are for allowing gun crime to run rampant. But like every culture, including our own, the American’s have deep held beliefs that make it hard to enact strong change in certain areas. Many politicians in the States who even suggest the idea of gun control have lost their careers due to severe public backlash. Regardless, this article is not to sway you one way or the other in terms of gun control, but to help you understand the mindset of many Americans. Time will tell if that mindset will change, but for the next few years, if you wind up having a talk with some from the good ol’ USA about their gun laws, take this information with you and try to keep an open mind.

The post Understanding the USA and the Gun appeared first on IH Globe.

No doubt a large part of the International House community saw our production of “Blackrock” by Nick Enright which explored the fallout on the town after the rape and murder of a young woman. The show was a remarkable success due to the talent of the cast, the hard work of the crew, and the great vision of the directors. However, I’m not here to review and discuss the overall outcome of the play, but instead my experience of playing the “antagonist” Ricko. My apologies if this sounds like a literature essay, I’m currently putting off another one to write this.

Ricko was perhaps my most challenging and, at the same time, most interesting character that I’ve ever had to portray. Having done theatre going on fourteen years, I have predominantly played characters that more or less lie in the humorous spectrum. I was a monkey with an attitude, quick-witted Robin Hood, a bumbling rich merchant, and a rather exasperated White Rabbit. These characters exceptionally fun to play and certainly expanded my range, but they lacked a certain realism that I did not experience until my coming to university. I began my foray into more mature characters when I was cast as Mrs. Van Amersfoort in the ICAC production of “The Book of Everything”. She was a rather quirky woman who had suffered much at the hands of childhood ridicule and the horror of watching her husband executed. But, despite that rather dark past, I felt I was still playing a character that was comedic. Many of my scenes produced laughter rather than tears and while I’m not complaining at such a positive response, it still did not feel like a mature character.

Ricko, on the other hand, was like diving into the deep end of realism. On the surface he appears quite amicable and well-adjusted, if a little morally misguided when it comes to alcohol and women. However, as the play progresses, we’re exposed to the darker side of Ricko’s personality and it’s honestly quite horrifying, especially to portray. I had several people come up to me and say they were a little nervous to speak to me after they had seen the show. He tries not once, but twice, to sexually abuse two different women and kills the first one after she fights back against his completely inappropriate advances. He then pressures his best friend, Jared, into lying for him to the cops to save him from jail, and then drunkenly attacks Jared when he refuses. With every scene, Ricko devolves from the charming rapscallion beloved by most into a true monster, and eventually suffers the age-old fate of all monsters: Death. To have to step inside the skin of someone I find so morally abhorrent and completely opposite of me was not easy, but at the same time, it was oddly quite fun.

It seems strange to say that, and I’m still a little hesitant to use the word now, but I find no other way to describe it. Ricko is a deeply complex character who, despite his many horrendous actions, has redeeming qualities. I have always thought some of the best characters to play were those that made it entirely hard to love or hate them. Ricko is no exception. What’s very interesting about this character is that he has two instances of doing something commendable and two instances of doing something terrible. However, we are only exposed to the smaller of these pairs of instances. Off stage, Ricko sexually assaults and then kills Tracy Warner. Also off stage, and in the past, he saved Jared’s life when he found him badly bleeding after an accident while skating. These are two of the biggest moments of his life, but we are not exposed to them visually. Instead, we see the smaller microcosms of those events. On stage, Ricko sexually assaults Tiffany and then attacks Jared. As well onstage, we see him save Toby from choking on his own vomit and escorting him to safety. This is no accident on Enright’s part. He is trying to show that even the worst rapist or murderer is still, deep down, human. Does that excuse their actions? Of course not, there is nothing that can excuse their actions, but it does shed light on why some of us can still sympathise with them. As Rachel says in the play about Ricko “He did the worst thing. He made someone die” but despite that, Jared is still able to remember the good things that his friend did, calling Ricko “a mate”.

Ricko was, in all honesty, a truly milestone performance for myself and yes, he was fun to portray. I wat to be clear and say that I condone none of his actions, they were wrong and should be looked upon as such, but they were also enlightening. I learned about what I was capable of and comfortable of in terms of my acting ability. It was not easy to step into his shoes, but I’m glad I did as it has opened up a whole new perspective on the way I perform. A huge shout to my cast members for being such valuable teammates to engage with to fully understand this character, you all helped so much. Special thanks go to Thomas Williams and Lauren Robinson for their stellar performances during Ricko’s darker moments, it really made the scenes so much more real and impactful.

I wave goodbye to one of my most eye opening characters and look forward to when I will experience the next.

– By Hamish Plaggemars

The post On Brett “Ricko” Ricketson appeared first on IH Globe.

Mental health is important for all genders, and so at IH we want to use Liptember to increase awareness of mental health for everyone. First, here are 5 myths about mental health which need to be debunked:

1. Myth: Mental health only affects a few people.
   Fact: 1/5 Australians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. Mental illness does not discriminate by gender, age, or culture. It is also incredibly likely that someone you know will experience mental illness.
2. Myth: Mental illness is caused by a personal weakness.
   Fact: No. It is caused by genetic, biological, social and environmental factors and is not a sign of a character flaw. If people seek help and find support, most people recover and are able to continue to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
3. Myth: The incidence of mental illness has been exaggerated by doctors.
   Fact: Mental health disorders are real and do cause significant suffering. Although the incidence of mental illness is increasing, it is due to more people having the courage to seek help – rather than feeling as though they can’t because they could be discriminated against or suffer from stigma.
4. Myths: Since more people are seeking help for their mental illnesses, does that mean they are no longer experiencing stigma?
   Fact: No. Stigma and discrimination is still present, and it is still one of the major reasons why people who are suffering from mental health problems do not seek help early. It has been reported that 3/4 people with a mental illness have experienced stigma.
5. Myth: There’s nothing I can do to help reduce stigma surrounding mental illness.
   Fact: You can play a big role in helping reduce discrimination, and creating a community which supports recovery. This can be done by:
   • Offering support to people when they are physically or mentally unwell.
   • Not labelling or judging people with a mental illness. Treat them with the same respect and dignity you would anyone else.
   • Speaking up about the false beliefs and negative stereotypes portrayed in the media.
   • Increasing your understanding by learning more about mental health and illness.

Now that you know how important it is to increase awareness and understanding about mental health, join the IH Liptember team or support the team by donating to the cause. All proceeds are donated to Lifeline and the Centre for Women’s Mental Health.

The post Kiss Away The Blues appeared first on IH Globe.

In communities where alcohol is banned, the inhabitants have been driven to making moonshine out of Vegemite. In fact, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion suggests that Vegemite sales should be restricted. He said that Vegemite and its alcoholic by-product is a contributing factor of domestic violence and a decrease in school attendance.

Dr John Boffa of the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition, based in Alice Springs, says that the issue is an “isolated problem in a couple of communities.”

However, it seems that the focus is on the wrong issue. Why do people feel the need to make moonshine out of Vegemite? Where do these addictive tendencies come from? And more importantly, the issue of domestic violence can?t solely be blamed on Vegemite Moonshine. Why is Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion focusing on the evils of Vegemite rather than the issues of abuse, addiction?

The truth is, that there have been funding cuts for Aboriginal domestic violence shelters. On June 30th the Djarindjin safe house had to shut their doors. In 2014, The Djarindjin women applied under the Federal Government?s New Indigenous Advancement Strategy to have their funding renewed. However, the funding was refused. Due to this lack of funding abused women had to be turned away due to lack of funding.

It is awful that people are abusing Vegemite in order to make moonshine. However, this issue shows the more devastating issues beneath it. Communities that are dealing with abuse and addictive tendencies need to be given the funding in order to tackle the issues. Focusing on limiting Vegemite sales is a Band-Aid solution and distracts the public and the government from actually creating positive change.

The post Vegemite Moonshine appeared first on IH Globe.