Studentenvereinigung an Universität Toronto verbietet Gruppe für Männeranliegen

Neues von der Universität Ryerson in Toronto: Während militante Feministinnen dieser Tage mit erneuter Gewalt gedroht haben, weil dort heute Wissenschaftler einen Vortrag zum Thema "Von Frauenfeindlichkeit und Männerfeindlichkeit zum Dialog zwischen den Geschlechtern" halten wollen (Genderama berichtete), wurde nun eine von zwei Frauen und einem Mann gegründete Gruppe für Männeranliegen unterbunden. In der Zeitschrift MacLeans, Kanadas einzigem politischen Wochenmagazin, heißt es:

The Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) takes issue with a men’s issues club. If it were not so serious, it would be laughable. An organization that collects hundreds of thousands of dollars in mandatory levies from Ryerson students is afraid of three students—two of them women—starting a men’s issues group.

(...) The principle is this: if you challenge official narrative, you don’t have the right to speak. But this is supposed to be a university—a place where we learn and debate in an open environment; where those we disagree with are challenged, not with censorship, but with other ideas. To agree to disagree and to respectfully debate—this is true tolerance.

(...) Some fear that the discussion of men’s issues will somehow silence women’s voices. But surely talking about men’s health, violence among men, and male reproductive rights isn’t so appalling that it must be stamped out like heresy. And if, horror of horrors, such a group ever decided to critique modern feminism, is that not a legitimate discussion to have at a university? No one is saying women’s issues shouldn’t be discussed. But if women’s issues can be discussed, then the tent ought to be large enough for men too.

Dass solche Verbote das Männerthema in Kanada komplett ausmerzen können erscheint allerdings fraglich. So erschien zum selben Thema im Magazin MacLeans vergangene Woche ein weiterer Artikel, den sein Autor, Professor Todd Pettigrew, mit der Überschrift I’m tired of hearing how "privileged" I am betitelte. Pettigrew berichtet darin passenderweise über eine neue Studie, die aufdeckt, wie Männer im akademischen Bereich inzwischen zum Schweigen gebracht werden:

I was reminded of this problem—and that it’s not just mine—when I read about a recent study conducted by Sandra Miles. Miles noted that some white, male academics found that they were belittled for their achievements (everything’s easy for you because you’re white) or shut out of discussions (you’re a man, so you don’t get it). Said one grad student quoted in the report:

"I couldn’t even begin to have that conversation because it was automatically assumed I didn’t understand… To go through that experience in a higher education class—which is supposed to be the safest place to talk about that—was just terrifying."

I frequently encounter the same kinds of attitudes. If I raise questions about abortion, I’m told to shut up since I don’t have a uterus. When I recently wrote about female academics and children, plenty of people got mad—which was fine—but many of them simply dismissed my view as coming from a "privileged" male academic.

Auch an deutschen Hochschulen hat es immer wieder Versuche gegeben, die Thematisierung von Männeranliegen zu unterbinden. Auch hierzulande dürfte das auf lange Sicht gesehen scheitern.