Matt Pinkham, Opinion Columnist
On Sept. 20, 2014 famed actress and UN Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson delivered a rousing war cry for her new campaign “HeForShe.”
By saying, “Gender equality is your issue too,” Miss Watson attempted to rally the male population of the world to her call for equality under the guise of feminism. Was it effective? I hope not.
Emma Watson’s diatribe suffered from the same failure that infests modern feminism: glaring hypocrisy. Feminism’s talking heads, like Emma Watson, sing the glories of feminism and the benefits to everyone. The practicing members of feminism, however, show violent opposition to anything they deem as “male.” Let’s look at the evidence.
Miss Watson spoke of the crushing burdens facing males because of gender stereotyping and sexism. She offered feminism as a way to transcend these troubles. The Feminist militia behind her tends to have a different view. Perform a quick Google search of the term “male tears.” Browse the plethora of merchandise, from coffee mugs to t-shirts, which mock the idea that men have emotions.
If you are not satisfied or sufficiently appalled then examining the authors of these memes will show that they are not isolated or fringe members of feminism. Miss Watson and the other talking heads would try to convince you otherwise, and if this was the only instance of organized assault on man’s psyche then maybe they would be right.
However, this is not the only instance of this aggression. Instead, we have seen it institutionalized. In November 2012, the renowned Warren Farrell gave a lecture at the University of Toronto. To be precise, he attempted to speak on the issues of gender equality. Mr. Farrell is a champion of second wave feminism and former member of the National Organization for Women. The speech he intended on giving in Toronto was focused on the social, economic and political issues facing men in society.
These are the topics that Emma Watson would try and convince you that feminism embraces and cares about. When the event was announced, the local feminist groups reacted with haste and did everything they could to stop the lecture, including violence and destruction of property. The University of Toronto’s administration watched as feminists assaulted men, destroyed property and barred the doors to the assembly. This is one of the most egregious acts of censorship ever seen on university grounds. The University of Toronto was reduced to a burning Rome as feminists responded with harsher violence than the Occupy protesters.
The university’s administration held no investigations into the events. No culprits were named. No evidence was gathered. No violent protesters were stopped. Rome burned.
If you don’t believe me, I welcome you to perform a second Google search. You can find video evidence on YouTube and watch the savagery with your own eyes. While you are watching this, help yourself to further footage of violent feminists. Also, after you’ve watched a few videos, perhaps you should send a few of these to Miss Watson. She could stand to see them.
None of these are isolated instances because they all stem from the same source: the flawed and fictitious concept of patriarchy. Modern “third-wave” feminism sells the concept that society is oppressive against women, and most importantly, men are the oppressors. The credo instantly vilifies all men. Men are oppressors, even if they never raise a hand against a woman. They are complicit in the crime, therefore are guilty and should be punished all the same. To them, male feminists are akin to kidnapped victims suffering from Stockholm syndrome.
This is why feminists would never endorse a fair discourse on men’s issues. After all, why should they collaborate with their enemy?
Herein lies the feminist hypocrisy, and the reason that I hope no individual is tricked by Miss Watson’s speech. Her didactic recruitment drive is nothing more than a guilt tactic thrown in the face of free individuals. It offers nothing but mob mentality.
If this is what equality truly is, then the crusade for equality is dead.