From: slarsen@titian.helios.nd.EDU (susan larsen)
Subject: Re: men's issues vs. women's issues
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Organization: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame
Date: 30 Jul 92 17:59:01 GMT

>In article <14odc7INN7s6@agate.berkeley.edu> uunet!infmx!robert@ncar.UCAR.EDU (Robert Coleman) writes:
>
>>	I beg you, give a listen to some of the men who've had a
>>chance to do that emotional introspection.  You've heard women's
>>views for 20 years.  You live a woman's life.  Give yourself a
>>chance to learn something past the stereotypes about men, and maybe
>>you'll find that our progress isn't very different, that our
>>problems are linked to your problems, and our problems are worth
>>your time for that reason if nothing else.

I'm really darned sorry that I was out of the office and lost Mr.
Coleman's original response to my little ditty about a walk in the
woods, but the above seems to catch the drift of what he is saying.

Well, if you strip away all the rhetoric about what is fair and what
is right and who's got what advantages or disadvantages, the practical
issue involved here, as I see it, is that some men are attempting to
recruit women to join the battle on behalf of "men's issues."  All
well and good, nothing wrong with that.

Many years ago, I had the privilege of being involved with a
fund-raising and volunteer recruitment drive.  What I learned there is
if you are seeking volunteers, you've got to treat the recruits
nicely.  I don't think that hurling charges at women active in the
women's rights movement that they are sexist, racist, selfish, or
blind to the needs of others qualifies as treating the recruits
nicely.  It sure doesn't make me want to run out and join up with a
men's rights group.

On the other hand, feminism and feminists have told me that,
regardless of my station in life, I am a valuable person deserving of
empowerment and enrichment.  Mighty potent and appealing dialogue.

Another thing I learned about volunteer recruitment is that the
recruiter must be able to answer the question "What's in it for me?"
Okay, so if anyone here wants to redirect my energies toward working
for their goals, I ask you what's in it for me?  In considering a
response to that question, bear in mind my posting about walking in
the woods.  Obviously, I feel that women have some catching up to do
on their own before we are fully equal to the task of attacking
"men's" problems.  That is my bias, can you convince me that I am
wrong?

And, finally, I learned that once recruited, volunteers need to be
recognized for their efforts.  The reward factor.  Feminism offers me
the reward of greater control over my life, a more solid economic
position in the community ....  so what rewards are available if I
join your team?

On a more personal note, you've already made one big mistake in your
recruiting effort, you have assumed that I have not been listening to
men and their problems, that I am somehow ignorant of their position.
It might just be that I have been listening, but am not fully
convinced that men, as a group, are as needful of my attentions as are
women, or children, or the mentally handicapped, or the poor, or the
environment, or any of the other causes I might be fighting for.  If
you are doing the recruiting, you have to do the convincing.  So......
sell it to me.

Sue Larsen
slarsen@berlin.helios.nd.edu

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