Is Violence Against Women Exaggerated?

Is violence against woman exaggerated?

James Madison University

Jenna Engelbert
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Abstract:

The topic being questioned is relevant and important to society today; if violence against

women is being exaggerated by society and American culture overall, it is important to recognize

it as early as possible. I chose this research question because it means a lot to me, I think it is

important for everyone to be educated on as it is a rising topic in the upcoming generation. Due

to the momentum the “Me Too” movement has been gaining in the news and in support, I

thought it would be an interesting topic to learn about personally and teach others about over the

course of the semester. This is important to my peers and the curriculum because it deals heavily

with gender and culture studies. This topic runs parallel to other topics we discuss in class while

also introducing new information to expand everyone’s knowledge. With knowledge, change

could start with the next generation.

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Society has taken a moral dilemma such as the argument about women’s violence, into their

own hands and normalized it. Treating women certain way and even treating men a certain way

has become a part of the American culture; so much so that not many people realize the way

their treated until it is pointed out. The question here being is violence against women

exaggerated? Essentially, this is asking for an explanation for all violence against women and

asking whether giving women the rights they want, is really as detrimental as some make it

seem. The term toxic masculinity is used often when talking about this topic and is an important

thing to know. Toxic masculinity is a term referring to strict stereotypical male gender roles such

as boys not showing emotion and the trait of dominance. It reinforces negative qualities in males

that are normalized in American society and even found elsewhere. Toxic masculinity

contributes to answering the question by providing information as to why men act to

aggressively towards women.

Living in 2019, things have changed a lot in the past decade and are going to continue to

change in the future. However, this question remains valid and relevant; especially to the

upcoming generation. Currently, movements are being constructed and organizations are

growing related to women’s rights and violence against women. Particularly the “Me Too”

movement dealing directly with sexual abuse and harassment of women by men and others.

People of all ages are starting to become passionate and educated on gender related topics,

noticeably in the younger generations. Looking for a solution to this problem has only just

begun, but it is coming along. People in support of the many branches of causes related to

women’s violence continue to search for facts to make an argument that can be used persuasively

in the fight for women’s equality. As the facts become more telling of what world we live in, the
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need for change becomes more urgent. What the facts say, is that we are raised a certain way to

think different things; the result of this has been shown to be men’s behaviors and cultural norms

create a hostile environment for women. Once behaviors are identified as acceptable and

unacceptable, the current formative generation and the following can start to make permanent

change.

In Elisabeth R. Silver, Sara B. Chadwick, and Sari M. van Ander’s “Feminist Identity in

Men,” the authors took a deeper look into a male’s feminist identity. Categorized into three

sections: feminist men, unsure, and non-feminist men, were tested and results showed how each

category behaved towards women in different situations. The authors explain how men that

identify themselves as feminist, have similar enough beliefs to reach feminist goals. While men

who do not identify themselves as feminist, question the validity of feminism. Here is where a

gap can be found between people who understand the feminist movement and those who are

convinced that the feminist movement is unreal and problematic. The author builds an argument

by using facts and readers emotion to entice them to keep reading and become interested in the

topic. The piece concludes by stating that each category of men overall considered unsure,

mainly because a feminist identity is not something we teach males in American culture.

In an article written by Aleksander B. Gundersen and Jonas R. Kunst named “Feminist ≠

Feminine?”, the very strong and relevant stereotypes toward feminists are discussed. The

authors point out the positive aspects of self-identifying as a feminist: driven, smart,

independent, and functional are all traits descriptive of feminist women. These paint feminism in

a good light, however, it was quickly ruined with the realistically more common view of feminist

women. Later the stereotypical feminist women are introduced, describing women as hateful,

mean, masculine and difficult. The article goes on discussing the contrast between feminist
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women being described as masculine and feminist men being categorized as feminine. The

connotations associated with being a feminist man is a large part of what is scaring men off from

supporting the feminist movement. Another driving factor as to why men are not typically in

support of the feminist movement is that the masculinity found in feminist women is threatening

to the masculinity of a man.

In “Dude Looks Like a Feminist!” By Renee F. Precopio and Laura R. Ramsay, the feminist

identity of men and the fear of feminism are spoken about together. The new idea of men’s

involvement in the women’s movement is introduced in this article. The authors explain that

having the support of men would drastically improve the cause in a positive way. This piece

appeals more a man’s point of view; the authors explain how if men were to support the feminist

cause, they’d be doing it out of charity and would have to risk their high, valuable social status to

accommodate women. Playing into America’s patriarchal society, a large portion of the writing

mirrors stereotypes; although many of these stereotypes have been found unrealistic as the crowd

supporting feminism grows. This article plays more toward the men side of the feminist

argument; although written by two women, they use language that makes men seem superior.

In articles “Feminist ≠ Feminine” and “Dude Looks Like a Feminist!”, they discuss the

common theme of gender and feminist stereotypes. These are used to create an atmosphere

within the writing that makes the reader understand the current, fragile state of the feminist

movement now among society. Authors declare, “… feminist women are often associated with

stereotypically masculine traits”(Gunderson & Kunst, 2019, para. 9). Here, it is clear to see they

talk about the negative connotations associated with being a female feminist. Precopio and

Ramsey agree with this style of writing by adding, “…feminists have been characterized as ugly,

man-hating lesbians in search of reverse discrimination”(Precopio & Ramsey, 2017, para. 2).
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With both of these passages, the comparison between the two is clear; both use devaluing

language within their work. In the pieces “Feminist Identity in Men” and “Dude Looks Like a

Feminist!” both talk about men’s contribution to the feminist movement. Authors of “Dude

Looks Like a Feminist!” observe, “…men could work alongside women to aid the platform for

gender equality by reaching a different audience”(Precopio & Ramsey, 2017, para. 5). While

other authors comment, “…it seems unlikely that being uncertain about one’s feminist identity

may have meaningful implications for how these men engage with feminist objectives”(Silver,

Chadwick, & van Anders, 2019, para. 8). Both discuss the impact a man’s support could do for

the feminist movement.

Although the general category of all these works are similar, they all have differences. In

“Feminist Identity in Men”, the writers dwell less on what norms are currently set that deter

supporters from different demographics. They explain the possible changes that could be made to

let people see the real problems, not just the stereotype advocating for it. Authors explain

“…reflection on his identity as a ‘profeminist’ rather than a ‘feminist’ man, some men may be

hesitant to adopt a feminist identity because of concerns that this will minimize women’s unique

experiences…”(Silver, Chadwick, & van Anders, 2019, para. 7). Here, the writers have a more

understanding approach toward the way men think than in the other two articles. In “Dude Looks

Like a Feminist!” authors claim there are five moral concerns: fairness, ingroup, harm, authority,

and purity, according to the moral foundations theory. This theory states “these traits involve the

desire to benefit one’s group to increase its longevity”(Precopio & Ramsey, 2017, para. 3). The

authors go on to explain that correlate to liberalism, which brings it back to rights and freedoms

of women. The moral foundations theory gives the article credibility and helps persuade the

reader to their view of the argument.

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Throughout researching this topic and reading about it, I have learned so many things about

American society, feminism, and masculinity. Some of those being how engrained stereotypes

are within childhood and culture. “Feminist Identity in Men” taught me a lot about what men are

raised to think and how they are not forced into thinking about equal rights because they are

already available to them. “Dude Looks Like a Feminist!” helped me understand a man’s

thinking when it comes to feminism, as well as the stereotypes men would have to battle if they

were to become a feminist in this society. In “Feminist ≠ Feminine?”, the writers talked about the

positive reflection of feminism, which is not something that is broadcasted as well as it should;

most people only think of the negatives of feminism, which is not fair considering it is an

important cause in todays society. My original viewpoint on this issue generally remains the

same; I still believe women should have equal rights and not be boxed into gender roles.

However, after learning more about a man’s perspective, I understand why some are hesitant to

support it. I think with proper education, time, and research; facts can be provided that will help

everyone see what the feminist movement is really about, underneath all the stereotypes and

media.

In my upcoming webpage, I plan to make it “profeminist,” and help clear all the unnecessary

information and keep it to what is important; my hope is to help make an impact on the

beginning of the new generation’s feminist movement. The three sources used have affected my

viewpoint slightly, but in a positive way. They contribute to my argument perfectly, each

bringing new, unique, and valuable information to the table. To continue my research, I plan to

look for more information regarding childhood and adolescence; how our society and assigned

gender roles affect feminism and masculinity in adult life. This information would help connect

the dots in my original article and research question to my newer information. Using scholarly
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sources via the JMU databases is where I will do my research because it is reliable and the most

efficient way to find valuable information.

References

Gundersen, A. B., & Kunst, J. R. (2019). Feminist ≠ Feminine? Feminist Women Are Visually

Masculinized Whereas Feminist Men Are Feminized. Sex Roles, 80(5/6), 291—309.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0931-7

Precopio, R. F., & Ramsey, L. R. (2017). Dude Looks Like a Feminist!: Moral Concerns and

Feminism among Men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 18(1), 78—86.

https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000042

Silver, E. R., Chadwick, S. B., & van Anders, S. M. (2019). Feminist Identity in Men:

Masculinity, Gender Roles, and Sexual Approaches in Feminist, Non-Feminist, and Unsure Men.

Sex Roles, 80(5/6), 277—290.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0932-
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