Misogyny does not exist.

On April 24th I read the article in [School Newspaper] titled “Misogyny Still Exists” by [Guy].
The article was very well researched and presented a nice history of the word misogyny. The problem
with the article is it claims misogyny still exists in America in the very meaning of the word; the hatred
of women. Although there are bigots of every type there is definitely not a hatred of women in this
society.
The article finds the misogyny in the way we look at the First Lady for fashion sense because it
“belittles the intellectual contributions and political ambitions of women.” Contrary, the First Lady’s
opinion does matter and has more influence than her fashion. The First Ladies have been very involved
with politics and have a history of being involved with the humanitarian needs of other countries.
Throughout history women have been the attractors of men, that is the way humans are, this is why
women’s fashion is a large industry. There is nothing wrong with looking at a powerful person for
fashion sense. Men would look at the president if there was a bit more to wearing a suit.
How can our society be misogynistic if women are actually placed on a pedestal above men as
being worth more? Throughout history women and children have been consistently placed ahead of a
man’s well being. This can be understood from the perspective that women are more essential to
reproduction and children have a longer life ahead of them. This bias continues today. Only men are
required by law to register for the draft, women are excluded because they are exempt from combat
duty and draftees would only be called in for that purpose. Through this women are able to claim the
rights and benefits of being American while men are expendable. When working, men are given jobs
with greater danger to life and limb than women. Because of the imbalance men make up more than
ninety percent of all work related fatalities. Contrary to the article it seems we revere women rather
than hate them.
How can our society be misogynistic if there is a high level of awareness of women‘s issues?
Breast cancer kills roughly as many women every year as prostate cancer does men, even though
prostate cancer is easier to detect and easier to cure. There is a breast cancer awareness month but not
one for prostate cancer. Doesn’t this seem like preferential treatment of women? Things appear very
one sided when it comes to awareness. An extensive study by Harvard found that domestic violence
victims were almost evenly split between men and women. Men are less likely to report being beaten,
have fewer options to get help and are often sent to jail for self defense due to the bias against them.
Most people are not aware of this flip side to domestic violence hence the Violence Against Women
Act. The reason there is not a decent level of awareness for men’s issues is due to the “lace curtain” of
feminism.
What is not discussed is the other side. While women are seen as “objects of attraction,” men
are seen as objects of “work and success“. Society puts more pressure on males than women to be
successful. Males are typecast into being breadwinners and are considered more desirable if they make
more. It is socially acceptable for a woman to go to college, work, advance her career and participate in
politics. If men try to break the stereotype they are either viewed by media as leaching off the women
or feminized as “Mr. Mom’s.” Is this under-discussed pressure for success the reason that four to five
times more men commit suicide?
The article, “Misogyny Still Exists,” is only an example of how one can find sexism
(misogyny’s nicer sibling) anywhere if they look with a narrow scope. It’s not hard to realize that each
gender has its own hardships and benefits. The stereotype of women being “objects of attraction” that
care for the kin and men being “objects of success” that provide for the kin has deep origins, as [Guy's]
article presents. Our history has cast us into these stereotypes; they are inherited from our community.
The Discovery Channel did a wonderful job of explaining in the show “The Science of Sex Appeal”
that there are complex biological and psychological differences between men and women and some of
the reasons for those differences. Some say it is due to nature, others say it is nurture, many say both.
Regardless, is it not possible to accept that idea that either gender may embrace or break the stereotype
as they see fit? If men and women were to become the same, the only difference between them would
be their gender; in my opinion this would render life a bit bland.