ARE MEN IN THE AUSTRALIAN ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT CHEESOIDS?
Does the Australian environmental movement exclude men? I liken my struggle to fit into the Australian environmental movement to the difficulties of the robot Cheesoid (from the Mitchel and Webb sketch) in learning the difference between petrol and cheese. I write these words with my phallic petrol pump spout mouth, clumsily trying to articulate a response to what I perceive is a disdain of men in the Australian environmental movement.
A fellow member of our movement quoted journalist David Roberts accusing Michael Moore of 'mansplaining' in his film Planet of the Humans. This made me sad. Would the facts of the film present any diffently if it were written and presented by a woman? What is mansplaining and can be measured and quantified? Or is the quality to be disdained some intrinsic part of the male anatomy?
I want to disclose some personal things I have experienced in a spirit of sharing towards increased understanding. I am a man who is sexually attracted to men and women, fortunately I am of the millennial generation and I have never had to hide my sexuality. I have been confident of my sexuality since primary school, which made me a target of verbal and physical bullying amounting to psychological abuse. Some children would call me a 'girl' or ask me 'are you a girl?' simply because I was comfortable being myself. And myself was male.
Through adolescence I would stare at my reflection in the mirror anxious to develop the facial features of adult men; a strong brow and jaw, a beard and broad shoulders. Though I was born male, because of the bullying I experienced on the high school bus (I was called gay or transgender) I had to actively seek to develop and assert my male identity to others to avoid being categorised as female. My body and my behaviour was subject to intense scrutiny by my high school peers. Despite this I loved and still love being male.
The pursuit of my male identity continued into young adulthood and beyond, with a quest for fitness and strength leading me to regular exercise and private gym training. I sought through my education and physical training to finally become a man, and not a boy or young adult, and I did finally decide I had achieved my goal.
I also want to share some of the damages my male body has endured. I was circumcised shortly after birth, having the most erogenous skin on my body removed for hygiene purposes. From the age of twelve to the age of nineteen I was infected with an amoebic parasite which affected my digestive system. Several years ago I had an endoscopy procedure, after which I no longer got pleasure from having my prostate stimulated. Last year I was sexually assaulted which left me partially sterilized, this injury has permanently affected my sexual function and pleasure. And throw in a few sport injuries for good measure.
Now back to my involvement in the Australian environmental movement. My role model growing up was then politician Bob Brown of the Green party. His sex nor his homosexuality did not seem to be an impediment to his career in politics or environmental activism. Following in his footsteps would be easy I thought.
What I wasn't prepared for was the apathy of both sexes of the lower working class (who were my peers) towards Australian environmental politics. And a new critique of men culminating in the MeToo campaign. But where is space for male victims of abuse? I was a commited socialist and against tyrannical oppression by the few. But the new environmental movement seemed not to distinguish much between the patriarchy and men. Conversely those on the right thought the left was pushing a homosexual and transsexualist agenda. What is this disdain of men and where does it come from?
I am a white male Australian but I suffered a parasitic infection more common in the developing world over several years of adolescence. I am a child of lower working class parents and my sex alone has never granted me special privileges or place in working life. I was born male but I had to mentally and sometimes physically fight for the right to be socially accepted as male amongst my peers. As late as my mid 30s at university a classmate tried to categorise me as a 'sexual minority', I resist that. My sexuality shouldn't define my gender. A close friend tried to categorise me as 'gender fluid', I resist that too. Again my bisexuality does not make me less male.
Back to my fellow Australian environmental movement member who suspects Michael Moore of 'mansplaining' in his recent film Planet of Humans. What is it about being a
cis-gendered male that makes one less credible as an environmentalist? I have had to fight physical trauma to my sex and psychological abuse directed at my performance of maleness, and I don't think I am alone in this. Me(n)Too. I don't think Micheal Moore has a 'toxic masculinity'.
I know the New South Wales Greens party has had issues with some male members behaviour. And the party has put in place mandatory reporting mechanisms to try to prevent sexual exploitative behaviour. When can the Australian environmental movement forgive it's male members their sex? When can male activists stop feeling like Cheesoids, not knowing whether their words are toxic petrol or nourishing cheese?
Does the Australian environmental movement exclude men? I liken my struggle to fit into the Australian environmental movement to the difficulties of the robot Cheesoid (from the Mitchel and Webb sketch) in learning the difference between petrol and cheese. I write these words with my phallic petrol pump spout mouth, clumsily trying to articulate a response to what I perceive is a disdain of men in the Australian environmental movement.
A fellow member of our movement quoted journalist David Roberts accusing Michael Moore of 'mansplaining' in his film Planet of the Humans. This made me sad. Would the facts of the film present any diffently if it were written and presented by a woman? What is mansplaining and can be measured and quantified? Or is the quality to be disdained some intrinsic part of the male anatomy?
I want to disclose some personal things I have experienced in a spirit of sharing towards increased understanding. I am a man who is sexually attracted to men and women, fortunately I am of the millennial generation and I have never had to hide my sexuality. I have been confident of my sexuality since primary school, which made me a target of verbal and physical bullying amounting to psychological abuse. Some children would call me a 'girl' or ask me 'are you a girl?' simply because I was comfortable being myself. And myself was male.
Through adolescence I would stare at my reflection in the mirror anxious to develop the facial features of adult men; a strong brow and jaw, a beard and broad shoulders. Though I was born male, because of the bullying I experienced on the high school bus (I was called gay or transgender) I had to actively seek to develop and assert my male identity to others to avoid being categorised as female. My body and my behaviour was subject to intense scrutiny by my high school peers. Despite this I loved and still love being male.
The pursuit of my male identity continued into young adulthood and beyond, with a quest for fitness and strength leading me to regular exercise and private gym training. I sought through my education and physical training to finally become a man, and not a boy or young adult, and I did finally decide I had achieved my goal.
I also want to share some of the damages my male body has endured. I was circumcised shortly after birth, having the most erogenous skin on my body removed for hygiene purposes. From the age of twelve to the age of nineteen I was infected with an amoebic parasite which affected my digestive system. Several years ago I had an endoscopy procedure, after which I no longer got pleasure from having my prostate stimulated. Last year I was sexually assaulted which left me partially sterilized, this injury has permanently affected my sexual function and pleasure. And throw in a few sport injuries for good measure.
Now back to my involvement in the Australian environmental movement. My role model growing up was then politician Bob Brown of the Green party. His sex nor his homosexuality did not seem to be an impediment to his career in politics or environmental activism. Following in his footsteps would be easy I thought.
What I wasn't prepared for was the apathy of both sexes of the lower working class (who were my peers) towards Australian environmental politics. And a new critique of men culminating in the MeToo campaign. But where is space for male victims of abuse? I was a commited socialist and against tyrannical oppression by the few. But the new environmental movement seemed not to distinguish much between the patriarchy and men. Conversely those on the right thought the left was pushing a homosexual and transsexualist agenda. What is this disdain of men and where does it come from?
I am a white male Australian but I suffered a parasitic infection more common in the developing world over several years of adolescence. I am a child of lower working class parents and my sex alone has never granted me special privileges or place in working life. I was born male but I had to mentally and sometimes physically fight for the right to be socially accepted as male amongst my peers. As late as my mid 30s at university a classmate tried to categorise me as a 'sexual minority', I resist that. My sexuality shouldn't define my gender. A close friend tried to categorise me as 'gender fluid', I resist that too. Again my bisexuality does not make me less male.
Back to my fellow Australian environmental movement member who suspects Michael Moore of 'mansplaining' in his recent film Planet of Humans. What is it about being a
cis-gendered male that makes one less credible as an environmentalist? I have had to fight physical trauma to my sex and psychological abuse directed at my performance of maleness, and I don't think I am alone in this. Me(n)Too. I don't think Micheal Moore has a 'toxic masculinity'.
I know the New South Wales Greens party has had issues with some male members behaviour. And the party has put in place mandatory reporting mechanisms to try to prevent sexual exploitative behaviour. When can the Australian environmental movement forgive it's male members their sex? When can male activists stop feeling like Cheesoids, not knowing whether their words are toxic petrol or nourishing cheese?
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