The problem with the Bro-Choice campaign

[redqueen]

...

Choice USA offers some concrete ways men can learn more about sexual violence, including a blog series and a webinar scheduled for next Tuesday. I’m enthusiastic about working with allied men to stop assault, and so I want to be 100% behind this campaign.

I have to admit, though, that something about this doesn’t sit right with me. I understand Choice USA’s motives, but attempting to “masculinize” a feminist effort so dudes can feel comfortable condescends to the targeted men (who I’d imagine will join up because of their convictions, rather than a transparent gimmick and a “p” switched out for a “b”) while simultaneously prioritizing them. The clear message is that guys can’t be part of a generally woman-led movement, and we need to cater to their need to feel manly. And, as we know from working with fantastic activists of all genders, that just isn’t true.

This well-meaning strategy assumes a clear gender binary–in which male- and female-identified activists need separate little cubbies to feel adequately differentiated–that reinforces the same essentialism that underpins rape culture and reproductive injustice. As Maya said of Choice USA’s targeted audience, “Why can’t they just be pro-choice?”

...

http://feministing.com/2013/04/23/the-problem-with-the-bro-choice-campaign/

This framing does not sit well with me at all. Not only for the reasons she mentions here, but also because that phrase has already been popularized by men who want the choice to force women to get abortions.

[Warpy]

1. Exactly, it seems these men want equal input, at least.

While I sympathize with any male who finds himself facing 18 years of child support payments when a girlfriend wants to keep the pregnancy, I also realize he shouldn't have whined about wearing a condom, either.

The fact remains that it's the woman alone who is facing injury, disability and death by going through with any pregnancy. While it might be a normal condition, it is not a risk free one, by any stretch of the imagination, and it needs to be a purely voluntary one.

Her body, her risk, her choice.

[redqueen]

2. "Her body, her risk, her choice."

Yep, that says it all.

[Sheldon Cooper]

3. As a hetero white woman,

I don't need to have those aspects of my being catered to in order to be an activist for POC and GLBT causes. Aside from that, I don't have a big problem with this in general terms - if it gets men on the right foot to help the cause, it's a step in the right direction.

But I hadn't realized that it is also used by men who want to be able to force women to abort - I have a HUGE problem with that.

[redqueen]

4. Whoever thought it would be a good idea might have spent five minutes researching first, but no.

And now we have this... mess.

If you're on Twitter, check the hashtag.

[ismnotwasm]

5. "Bro" anything is getting on my nerves

Kinda like the term "man cave" it was cute the first 10 times---now, not so much.

But I understand this sort of thing I guess, as long as the the perimeters "her body, her choice" are firmly in place.