If you think male students have all succumbed to the politically correct powers-that-be on American campuses, think again.
U. of Chicago student Steve Saltarelli has just formed a group called Men in Power. Although the group wants to focus on professional networking and the like, naysayers are already whispering that the boys might have a misogynist agenda. Others say, in effect, that it’s about time someone stood up for real men, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Even former NOW board member Warren Farrell, author of The Myth of Male Power, praised the effort, in view of “an imbalance in government and private initiatives that advance the interests of women and girls.”
Considering the negative climate, Steve Saltarelli’s sense of humor may not help the club’s image. Earlier this year, he suggested in a satirical column that by forming a pro-male group, “Anyone with an interest in both studying and learning from men in powerful positions, as well as issues involved with reverse sexism, may become a member of MiP.”
Men in Power already has its own Facebook page, and is planning to start a similar group for middle school students called “Little Men in Power.”
As for the charge of not being “gender neutral,” facts are facts. Men are facing hard times these days. According to current figures, the unemployment rate is 10 percent for men vs. 7.6 percent for women, said U. of Michigan economist Mark Perry, adding that this was the highest gap between men and women in history.
Deborah Lambert writes the Squeaky Chalk column for Accuracy in Academia.
