You’ve probably heard the prevailing expression ‘men are trash’ before. It’s a phrase that has echoed across a variety of facets, establishing a collaboration amongst all the women who are exhausted by the endless dilemmas their supposed male lovers seem to bring. Say the phrase once and you’ve got yourself an immediate invitation to the ‘ugh men’ club.
The intention of the remark is clear: women are tired of the insufficient communication, empathy, and overall interest that men continuously seem to display. It’s a relatively modern phrase, but it’s a sentiment that is familiar to all women from any generation. So why are men only starting to catch on?
Perhaps it’s a result of conformity or the fact that misogyny is a primitive mentality. Maybe, it’s both. Confused? Let me explain.
Primeval tribal societies viewed women as dangerous and estranged, not because of biology, but because of their inferior position in regards to the communal structure in such communities. Degrading women in a social context allowed men to reclaim the power they never lost. Hence, those who didn’t fit the archetype of a strong and dominant male figure had to conform to such norms. Unfortunately, how well you were able to integrate into a society became a measurement of survival.
So the saying ‘men are trash’ has enacted a collective identity in every facet of society such as education, finance, media, art, etc. Those three words have emboldened misogyny because let’s face it, men will do anything to feel oppressed nowadays and denounce feminism through any means that they see fit. If you’re a straight, cisgender man, who complies to a strict gender binary, reading this and you feel vilified by this statement, don’t. Sexism has never exploited you in the same context that women experience it in because it’s institutionalized. You literally can never be victims of sexism because you’re the privileged majority.
It’s time you all believe in and acknowledge your entitlement and using the power you have to create a safer space for all people. You have the ability to help make the promised opportunities for success more accessible to those who aren’t guaranteed them. Start using your privilege for something equitable and fair.
