Warning: this may offend some
Are men really living up to their full potential?
those who society, media, legal system, teachers, family all worship
whose mothers coddle believing that they can do no wrong
who hold most positions of power
who decide which laws to enforce
white entitled men who are constantly deferred to
white entitled men who have broad career choices
white entitled men who are automatically paid more
those who rape, abuse, harass and murder
murder their partner and often their children
children learn from their fathers then copy them …
Are you living up to your full potential …
are you a girl who’s told she can’t make it
or a wife ignored, told she must fake it
are you suppressed by a patriarchal system?
or paid less wages with less career choices
are you beaten or abused, put down or ridiculed
gender bias, societal norms. legal loopholes,
media misrepresentation, education access
all need to change but so does parenting
for these monsters came from families
who accepted such behaviour …
Let’s help each other live to our fullest potential …
Oh yes, there’s a lot of truth in your words. As the saying goes “the Apple never falls far from the tree”. We need to all do our bit to raise a better generation.
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Right on, Kate!
If good men don’t stand up to AND speak out against not-so-good men and the not-so-good men’s words and actions…nothing will ever change. Good men have to raise their voices and take action…(even against something as “seemingly innocent” as a rude joke about females) or nothing will ever change. Good men, who care, must even stand up to their male family members, friends, co-workers, etc…or nothing will ever change.
When women speak, some men don’t listen. But they do listen to other men.
And sadly for all men, if they don’t do the right things to make positive changes in our world…their wives, girlfriends, mothers, sisters, daughters, granddaughters, etc., will continue to suffer and be abused. 😦
Oh, man! (no pun intended) This is such an important issue in our world today!
Thank you for highlighting it in your poem!
HUGS!!!
PS…sorry I rambled on. This is another soap-box issue for me.
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POW! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
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This is really good. I have to say, if anyone is offended by this, they are most definitely part of the problem. All you talk about is as plain as the nose on my face and it has become even more clear as more people talk about their experiences.
I’m not sure how to fix it in the big picture so all I can do is try to live up to my own potential, raise my son well, and have no tolerance for toxic masculinity when it’s happening around me. I think it is changing but it’s moving very slowly – and of course many of those benefiting from it are the most resistant to positive change.
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Thanks for adding your voice Todd!
And you said it … your behaviour and how you rear your son are crucial to this issue. And men need to confront others when they hear or see misogyny as these guys don’t listen to women, thanks heaps 🙂
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Powerful and thought provoking. But those who need to realise their potential, are they reading this?
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Oh yes! Let’s rise above the gender definitions!
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Bold, but true. Just been rebutting someone on that unfortunately popular patriarchal misogynist Jordan Peters and his equally unfortunate psychology. Yes, are men living up to a positive potential.
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Amen!
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Powerful and its need of the hour. As a parent I feel it’s my responsibility to raise a responsible child because the future lies in their hands
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This is on my mind constantly. There is still such an imbalance in society. 😥
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