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| Teapotboy Black Bloc
 | | Joined: 05 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 691 | | : | | Location: Hamburg, Germany | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 12:40 pm Post subject: Why don't we have a Men's Association? |
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| scruffy wrote: | | And the Men's Association continues to be a daft idea. That could be an interesting conversation for another thread if a BALDSoc person wants to waste some time with me arguing. It is a way to avoid work. |
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| James Bowes Black Bloc
| | Joined: 13 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 117 | | : | | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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There was a comment on the other thread that men aren't discriminated against in society, however in some areas such as divorce laws, amount of paternity leave and access to children.
I'm not sure there are enough issues to start up an Association though, and one could be started with absolute majority from Guild Council.
I do think the Women's Officer should possibly have been a 'Gender Equality Officer' even though 80-90% of the job would be women's issues.
There is at least one male running for it, and they should have the right to, as the constitution doesn't allow discrimination based on gender. Of course their chances of getting elected are reduced, but if they can do a good job why stop them. |
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| Posco Hamwich Street Demonstrator
| | Joined: 12 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 83 | | : | | Location: Birmingham/London | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Correct me if im wrong but wasnt there a motion passed at GC last year which would prevent the formation of a mens association anyway. |
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| Teapotboy Black Bloc
 | | Joined: 05 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 691 | | : | | Location: Hamburg, Germany | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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| No because two GCs have passed since then so people could try again if wanted. |
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| theanonymousgeographer Black Bloc
| | Joined: 05 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 375 | | : | | Location: Near The Goose/Leamington Spa | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| No-one has actually given a reason that there isn't one yet. |
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| Posco Hamwich Street Demonstrator
| | Joined: 12 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 83 | | : | | Location: Birmingham/London | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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| theanonymousgeographer wrote: | | No-one has actually given a reason that there isn't one yet. |
Because able-bodied, straight, white, british males are evil and prevent women, LGBT, SWD, BME and international students from having equal access to society and therefore don't need an association. Apparently.
Of course the guild never considers that men have issues such as paternity leave, divorce laws and access to children as Mr Bowes pointed out, and the way that some people go on at the Guild you would think that no male student has ever got mugged |
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| theanonymousgeographer Black Bloc
| | Joined: 05 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 375 | | : | | Location: Near The Goose/Leamington Spa | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Posco Hamwich wrote: | | theanonymousgeographer wrote: | | No-one has actually given a reason that there isn't one yet. |
Because able-bodied, straight, white, british males are evil and prevent women, LGBT, SWD, BME and international students from having equal access to society and therefore don't need an association. Apparently.
Of course the guild never considers that men have issues such as paternity leave, divorce laws and access to children as Mr Bowes pointed out, and the way that some people go on at the Guild you would think that no male student has ever got mugged |
Well said Mr Hamwich. |
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| doc_ido Sandal-wearing bean eater
 | | Joined: 21 Jan 2006 | | Posts: 192 | | : | | Location: The road less travelled | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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| The great and wise Joe Rooney wrote: | Firstly: I am a straight, white, able-bodied, British, male undergraduate. I started my degree aged 18. Therefore, I am not a member of any of our Associations.
Secondly: I do not experience discrimination as a result of this. I am not under-represented.
Why not?
Well, society defines itself by what it's not. Pay attention, this is cultural psychology:
By having Associations, we make a clear statement about what we are, by saying what we're not: we're not international students. We're not lesbians, gay, bisexual or transgendered. We're not postgraduates -- nor are we mature students. We're not students on Selly Oak Campus. We're not students with disabilities -- and we sure as hell aren't women!
So, sociologically, having a Men's Association as well as a Women's Association is redundant. All these arguments for having both strike me as more appropriate arguments to have neither, and instead invest the time, effort and money into a campaigning infrastructure.
So what would we be losing? Well, a lot of the issues that the MA is supposed to address are addressed elsewhere, or aren't really relevant to men in the Guild. However, systematic oppression from our patriarchal system of government (which is what the Guild is!) will remain. In the absence of a Women's Association, the same problems will resurface that the WA and women in society more widely have combatted against.
In short, we don't need a Men's Association. We do need a Women's Association. If we need both, we don't need either.
Think about it... |
_________________ We cannot choose what we are. Yet what are we, but the sum of our choices? |
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| sallamino Black Bloc
 | | Joined: 17 Feb 2006 | | Posts: 101 | | : | | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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well said doc ido/ joe rooney
arent people bored of this argument yet? |
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| theanonymousgeographer Black Bloc
| | Joined: 05 Mar 2006 | | Posts: 375 | | : | | Location: Near The Goose/Leamington Spa | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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That logic is stupid Joe. We dont need a mens association because we have a womens one? Give me a break. The point is that white straight males are discriminated against as they do not have an association.
And still no-one has given me a reason why they dont need one.
This is typical Guild crap from people i expected better from. |
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| covuni2ney Meeting Facilitator
| | Joined: 11 Feb 2006 | | Posts: 32 | | : | | Location: Birmingham, UK | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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What makes me laugh at your uni is the fact that the Christian union (or a christian union) got thrown out the Guild for not allowing other religious faiths to join (lmfao). It's mere politics.
It's the same reason you get a Black Police Officers Association but not a White Police Officers Association. If you are white, you are presumed racist by segregating in society.
And don't even start to say "white people don't face racism" (Heywood i'm staring at you there) as The police case clearly shows, recently a white male gained compensation from a police force as they didn't recruit him because of his skin colour (the police force was positively discriminating in order to fill quotas).
well... such is life. _________________ http://www.2ney.co.uk - My Site
I know Heywood (unfortunately for him) |
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| scruffy Black Bloc
| | Joined: 29 Jan 2006 | | Posts: 120 | | : | | Location: birmingham | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:52 pm Post subject: synonyms |
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| theanonymousgeographer wrote: | | The point is that white straight males are discriminated against as they do not have an association. |
The debate, to my mind, hinges around the fact that people confuse the words 'equal' and 'same' and 'opposite'. I think confusion is also found around issues that INVOLVE men and issues that effect equality BECAUSE they're men.
And there was a motion passed last year which made clear what Associations are for, what they are and why we have them. I don't believe men to fit into these categories. And neither did anyone else. _________________ "the hardest thing to do in politics is nothing"
President of the Guild of Students |
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| nick_b Street Demonstrator
| | Joined: 21 Jan 2006 | | Posts: 87 | | : | | Items |
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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[quote]
The debate, to my mind, hinges around the fact that people confuse the words 'equal' and 'same' and 'opposite'. I think confusion is also found around issues that INVOLVE men and issues that effect equality BECAUSE they're men. [/quote]
what? not that i find this whole debate particularly interesting, but i at least like to understand the majority of most sentences written on it. where and when and how and why do people confuse those words? and what does the second sentence mean too? i'm sure hugely valid and terribly important points are being made here, but in an entirely incoherent way. please clarify, cos i'm a mite confused. |
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| steven Black Bloc
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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Positive discrimination isn't really a form of racism, it's a fairly sensible way of trying to get rid of institutional racism as far as I can see. The sad truth is that if everyone joining the police force was white, many black people would not join because they would fear institutional racism. People who are against positive discrimination would then anomolously use this as evidence that black people don't want to join the police force. It could also be suggested that, for example, in areas with a predominant black population, the majority of police officers should be black to reduce the possibility of racism against the black community and to allow the community to trust the police more.
But we're not discussing whether we need a White Person's Association, so that's a little off-topic. |
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| covuni2ney Meeting Facilitator
| | Joined: 11 Feb 2006 | | Posts: 32 | | : | | Location: Birmingham, UK | Items |
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:13 am Post subject: |
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| steven wrote: | Positive discrimination isn't really a form of racism, it's a fairly sensible way of trying to get rid of institutional racism as far as I can see. The sad truth is that if everyone joining the police force was white, many black people would not join because they would fear institutional racism. People who are against positive discrimination would then anomolously use this as evidence that black people don't want to join the police force. It could also be suggested that, for example, in areas with a predominant black population, the majority of police officers should be black to reduce the possibility of racism against the black community and to allow the community to trust the police more.
But we're not discussing whether we need a White Person's Association, so that's a little off-topic. |
That's not equality.. we are ALL meant/supposed to be equal in society... there should therefore be NO discrimination was the point i was trying to make. _________________ http://www.2ney.co.uk - My Site
I know Heywood (unfortunately for him) |
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