Gender Matters!
Gender matters in how we think about ourSelves and how we interact with each other; gender matters in public policy, how budgets are formed, how our organizations are structured, even how cities are designed and buildings built; and gender matters in our advocacy and activism. Gender matters in all that we do, and in all aspects of our lives. And yet, we, particularly as men, rarely pay attention to gender and the influence that gender, gender expectations and gender norms have on our thinking, behavior and interactions; and the social-cultural-political context in which we live.
Here we focus on how political, social and cultural factors are both influenced by gender, and impact on gender. We’ll also reflect on how race, sexuality, class and other factors are also influenced and impacted by these ranges of issues.
Blog Posts
Asian Women’s Lives Matter! Rus Ervin Funk March 20, 2021 The news has been full of attention here lately about the rise in anti-Asian violence and harassment that has been perpetrated in the US in recent months. Some reports indicate as much as a 150% increase in reported anti-Asian violence and harassment since the pandemic began. On March…
Some Thoughts on Intimidation Rus Ervin Funk Feb 12, 2021 In a recent discussion group that I’m a part of, the topic of intimidation came up – specifically, white folx feeling intimated by black and brown men. To be clear, this is a white discussion group addressing racism and white supremacist culture, with the goal of…
In Celebration of VP Kamala Harris Jan 20, 2021 Rus Ervin Funk Gender matters. I just witnessed Justice Sotomayor (the first Latina Supreme Court Justice), administer the oath of office to Vice President Kamala Harris. I was sitting on our couch with my son (who is 11 and is white and male) snuggled next…
My (white male) Outrage at white men’s Rage Jan 15, 2021 Rus Ervin Funk As I write this, we are a week past the “insurrection” of white (mostly male) supremacists who charged and broke into the US Congress. I was up most of the night fully feeling (and reeling) from a wide array and turbulent…
Reflections on “Safety” Rus Ervin Funk Jan 8, 2021 Gender matters. A friend and colleague of mine (a black woman) recently recounted an experience where she challenged “whyte supremacist talk” during a meeting. She reported that the responses from white folx in the room defined her behavior as “aggressive” and the need for them (the white folx) to…
Self & Collective Care/Caring Rus Ervin Funk 2020 has, in countless ways, been a dreadful year. I’m sure, like me, many of you can’t wait until midnight on Dec. 31 to turn the corner and say goodbye to 2020! Between the seemingly endless pandemic, the racist killings and racial uprising, and the election that seemed…
In Memory of the 14 Women Murdered in the Montreal Massacre Rus Ervin Funk On Dec 6, 1989, a lone gunman entered the University of Montreal Polythechnique, ordered the men to step aside, and began shooting. In the end, he murdered 14 women. The “Montreal Massacre” was, and is, the most devastating mass murder in…
But Men Are Abused Too? Rus Ervin Funk Oct 29, 2020 October, as many of you likely know, is Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (DVAPM) in the US. It’s the month every year that we are asked to pay attention: light purple lights on our front porches, wear a purple ribbon, attend a rally, make a donation……
This is What Toxic Masculinity Looks Like Rus Ervin Funk Oct 7, 2020 Over the past few years, most recently as a part of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, there has been increasing attention and use of the term “toxic masculinity.” A term which is poorly defined at best but widely used. The assumption seems…
Black Lives Matter and the Killing of Breonna Taylor Rus Ervin Funk Sept 25, 2020 Gender Matters! In March 2020, three white police officers, with a “no-knock warrant” burst into the apartment of Breonna Taylor after midnight. Ms Taylor, who was with her boyfriend, woke, reportedly, to the sound of police banging on her door.…
Why Gender Matters Rus Ervin Funk Gender matters! The name of this blog series is meant to convey two different but inter-related themes: a) that gender matters and b) that gender matters. What I mean by this is that with regards to just about any issue that we’re facing (and in every issue that I’ll be addressing here), gender matters. We’re not only going to…
Men’s viewing of pornography is widely accepted – or at least tolerated – as a norm. That is, most of us (men and women) assume that most men view pornography, at least at some point in men’s lives. We may not like it or may like it to varying degrees, but most of us sees…
This week, the Women of Color Network is hosting their 4th annual Women of Color Call to Action Summit and Conference. I plan on attending and participating actively. Some may well ask (legitimately) why I, as a white man, will attend this event, but also actively encouraging other men – in particular other white men…
Click here to view the original blog post at PreventConnect.org. For over 18 months, we have heard women sharing their stories about sexual harassment and violence through #MeToo. For most of that time, men have been largely silent, with periodic comments or displays of support. This has been true in Louisville, Kentucky as well. In the…