What once started as a joke following the rise of modern feminism, has begun gaining real supporters.
Meninism started on Twitter after the tag “Feminist Twitter” took popularity, many men started posting tweets in response with the tag “#MeninistTwitter” or “#MenimistTwitter” as well as “yes all men” usually voicing complaints of double standards they deal with. At first, anyone using this tag did it as a joke; the tag was a satire of modern feminism. Over time some people started taking it seriously, genuinely getting angry over these “issues” seriously affecting their lives.
Some of these tweet include things like, “Why can’t she open the door for me? #MenimistTwitter” or “How come when girls wear yoga pants it’s ‘hot’ or ‘cute’, but when I do it’s ‘creepy’ and ‘disgusting’? #MenimistTwitter #YesAllMen,”
Tweets like these can be funny and almost anyone can have a good laugh at them. On the contrary, some took to the tag with tweets involving serious debate matters, rather than keeping it comical. For instance, “Men should have a say in abortion. It’s my child as well, #YesAllMen #MenimistTwitter” and “#MenimistTwitter because I don’t think equality is in good hands with #FeministTwitter #Meninist,”
Meninist didn’t just stay on Twitter, there have been “Meninist clubs” forming on college campuses. Some clubs formed as a joke, but others were created to completely go against feminist clubs and voice their frustrations of being a male with their issues not being talked about. Along with clubs and groups like these, a little known society know as “MGTOW” which stands for, “Men Going Their Own Way”, refuse feminist ideals, and women in general. They have an online following total of 20,801 members.
“Men Going There Own Way is a statement of self-ownership, where the modern man preserves and protects his own sovereignty above all else…Refusing to bow, serve and kneel for the opportunity to be treated like a disposable utility,” which is followed by a picture of a man kneeling to a woman holding up a credit/debit card (mgtow.com).
People who follow MGTOW’s beliefs say that their history goes back thousands of years and that they look up to men who have never tied themselves down to a woman and were successful in life instead, quoting men such as Nikola Tesla in supporting their beliefs, “I do not think you can name many great inventions that have been made by married men. Be alone, that is the secret of invention. Be alone, that is when ideas are born,” Or Wilbur Wright “I don’t have time for a wife and an airplane,” and many more; however these men also took time out of their daily lives to rant on social media about how women are ruining all that is good and manly.
With the rise of modern feminism leading to extremist feminism and ultimately the rise to legitimate meninism, which is gaining in popularity quite quickly; people are getting offended over the existence of each other. It’s becoming hard to tell what’s a joke and what’s not. Thankfully, there are still people on all sides who still look at these groups with humor and laugh at it all, whether it is satire or real.
Staff Writer// Jo Hindle
