Okay, disclaimer: My daily routine of procrastination and endless Netflix remains intact and my life isn’t really that different than it was before, but I still think that the message in this video is preach worthy! The title may seem a little dramatic, but this TED talk definitely did change my opinion on women’s issues and is a must watch, especially for millennials!
My entire life it has been orchestrated that women have to fight for women’s rights, simply because they are women and the issues have to do with them. That’s a whole lot of work for women, considering issues that are created by men. Anti-sexist activist and expert on media, masculinity and violence Jackson Katz, however, preaches to the audience at TEDxFiDiWomen that issues created by men against women are NOT women’s issues – they are men’s issues.
I know, crazy right… who would have thought?
For years women were blamed for the physical abuse and psychological trauma men caused because of “something they must have done.” Now there are men who are diving into parts of male culture that never get talked about: their own wrong doings. He acknowledges that women have built the foundation for these movements that are affecting both males and females positively, and that they should be thanked. Katz goes on to talk about sexual and verbal assault and that women are often blamed for the outcome instead of the man who initiated the attack. “Why do these women go out with these men?” Using a creative example of word choice and arrangement Jackson shows that victim blaming is only moving us further away from equality.
Jackson says that while this is unjust, a man can say something a woman said 10 minutes earlier and be heard loud and clear, while she was not, especially if he is in a position of power. So, if it takes a man who is aware that women’s rights and gender violence are worth talking about like Jackson, by all means let him talk. Hopefully in the future men and women are equal enough that it doesn’t take a man in leadership to get the message across, but that a woman can speak and be heard if she wants to. For now I am more than happy to listen to a MAN talk about women’s issues and outright admit that men are mainly the root of the problem.
As millennials, I think we have the power to say what we want to without being ridiculed, and then see our dreams put into action. People listen to the youth of today, and it’s important that young women AND men understand the need for cooperation and support in this world. Whether male or female it is the responsibility of the youngsters of today to know the difference between right and wrong, and that it’s going to take an army to stop history from repeating itself. Let’s band together and be the change we want to see in the future, it is our lives, our time.
The full life-changing TED talk can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTvSfeCRxe8
Remember Warriors, just because the issue directly affects you, don’t automatically assume you are the cause! I am so proud to live in a world where there are strong women supporting women and even more so that there are men like Katz supporting woman!