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Your instincts are spot on. The term “men’s Rights” has been so demonized in mainstream media, that most commentators and reporters switch off as soon one uses the label MRM . This means that trying to argue any specific men’s issues cause, while being labeled MRM, is almost futile.

Let’s be quite honest with ourselves here. The women’s movement has been spectacularly successful in marginalizing the men’s movement. They have clearly won the propaganda war when it comes to the influencing social policy makers and the mainstream media. The label ‘MRA’ is immediately associated with whingeing male patriarchy trying to entrench their privilege and control over women. Whether we like to admit it or not, the prevalence of this belief is the sad truth.

Part of the success by the women’s movement is due to their effectiveness in highlighting the attitude and comments of the relatively small number of vocal MRAs who are indeed misogynists. These men have become associated with the label ‘MRA’. The women’s movement has been brilliant at achieving this association so seamlessly. So any raised genuine male rights issue is immediately dead in the water for policy makers and the general media.

However, there are risks to changing the label, as you are suggesting, from MRM to GEM, because journalists and politicians would be quick to point out that a name change does not necessarily change policy or attitudes. Along with the name change, there will have to be some action that shows you are genuinely sensitive to abuse against both male and female victims of society.

The statistics clearly show that both men and women are victims of domestic violence. Both genders are victims of bullying in schools and the work place. Both genders can suffer from cancer and other illnesses. At the same time, some in the feminist movement have become so extreme that others involved in the women’s movement are starting to distance themselves from the feminist label. Those dissociating themselves from the more extreme feminism, could be won over to a more inclusive GEM.

Perhaps GEM could turn out to be more than a mere name change. Perhaps GEM could be the start of a new direction by society. But it must first win over the middle round. Extremism throughout history has always faltered in the end.

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Good idea. Go for it.

I’m off to Kathmandu now for some R & R

Keep up the good work.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

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If this “move” is to try to gain acceptance… then… This. Will. Not. Work.
Men’s Rights (I prefer “Equality” or “Issues” over the word “Rights”, which I believe to often be unnecessarily narrow and specific) Advocates/Activists are portrayed as untrustworthy. …Knowingly insincere malicious liars, even. …Changing your name, in the face of these attacks, gives this movement’s enemies something more to manically point to that Looks Suspicious.

And, not only that, it makes their primary weapon more effective and more convincing… Hopefully this will demonstrate:

Enemy of MRM: “Everybody should focus on women and girls! Men have all the rights in the world!”
Men’s Advocate: “I’m a Men’s Advocate. While I do indeed care about women and girls… There are many human rights issues that uniquely or disproportionately affect men and boys. I’m a Men’s Advocate. I want to address these issues.”

An Unaffiliated Observer, watching this exchange, has no immediate reason to believe the Men’s Advocate is being insincere, or attempting to hide something. He/she may not agree with what the Men’s Advocate has said so far, but she/he will almost certainly be more curious than suspicious at this point.

Now, we’ll run it again…

Enemy of MRM: “Everybody should focus on women and girls! Men have all the rights in the world!”
Men’s Advocate: “I’m a Gender Equality Advocate. While I do indeed care about women and girls… There are many human rights issues that uniquely or disproportionately affect men and bo-”
Enemy of MRM: “Wait! You’re a Gender Equality Advocate?”
Men’s Advocate: “Yes”
Enemy of MRM: “If you’re a Gender Equality Advocate you should be fighting for the rights of BOTH genders!”
Men’s Advocate: “Yes, but there are many human rights iss-”
Enemy of MRM: “What do you mean “but”?!?”
Men’s Advocate: “Well, I focus on issues that uniquely or disproportionately affect men and boys. I want to address these issues.”
Enemy of MRM: “So, you admit to focusing on men! Not Gender Equality! You’re no Gender Equality Advocate! …WAIT! Are you an MRA?!?”
Men’s Advocate: “No”
Enemy of MRM: “Have you ever been an MRA? How long have you called yourself a Gender Equality Advocate?”
Men’s Advocate: “…Err, why is that relevant?”

An Unaffiliated Observer, watching this exchange, has *every* reason to believe the Men’s Advocate is being insincere, or attempting to hide something. He/she may even potentially agree with some points the Men’s Advocate is likely to bring up (if the conversation can get back on track, of course), but she/he will almost certainly be more suspicious than curious at this point.

-Max (Norfolk Men’s Equality Network)

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