Alright, fellas -- remember that time that you were catcalled on the street? Or that you had to call a friend to rescue you from that creepy guy who's dancing too close to you? Neither do I. The reality of it is, as a man, you are privileged. No matter your socioeconomic class, your race, your height, or any other factor you are at an advantage over women simply because of the appendage that is positioned between your legs. The thing that is nestled between our thighs is what many think means that we are entitled to degrade women, to catcall, to make crude comments, and that women's bodies do not belong to themselves, but they belong to us. And, guys, it's time for us to wake up.
YouTube show SoulPancake addresses many social problems in society, and they recently came up with the hashtag, #CHECKYOURBOYS. #CHECKYOURBOYS is not the newest movement to check yourself for testicular cancer, but to address a sexist comment from a friend when one arises. As simply put in the video, "We talk about sexism as if it's a woman's problem to deal with. But sexism is a men's problem. It's a men's problem."
The thing about being privileged as a group is we must be willing to revoke our privileges as a man to help the group that is not as privileged. We must take gender out of the equation. We must change the culture. There's a shield that we as men inevitably hide behind, it's the "good guy" persona. Men, you are not always a good guy, nor am I, but it happens. Casual sexism happens everywhere, things are implicitly sexist, and we do not think about it because it's so hardwired into our brain. I'll be the first to admit that when someone is worming around a situation, I'll say, "Dude, I always thought you were a guy, but you're acting like a little b***h right now." And I'm wrong.
Ladies, this is also a two-way street. Yes, sexism is a men's problem, but you must talk to us about it. When a crude comment is made, talk to us about it. When you feel uncomfortable about a situation, talk to someone about it. We as men only have a limited idea of what y'all go through, so please, talk to us. Be open with us. We will help you.
The fact of the matter is simple, boys: treat women with the respect that you want to be given. Feminism and gender equality is not degrading the male in any way; it's empowering the females. It's raising them to the pedestal that I, as a male, have been given since birth because of the sex I was born into. It's time that we use that privilege to make a change. It's going to be hard, I know. You'll probably get jokes thrown your way, but you being uncomfortable for the 15 seconds that people laugh at you will never amount to the embarrassment and unrest that women feel every day because of the limitations that society lays on them. I promise that if you make the change, that you will be no less of a man than you were the day before; in fact, you'll be more of a man. So men -- grow some balls, and speak up. This is our time to stop gender inequality and #CHECKYOURBOYS. And as a privileged white man, I pledge to #CHECKMYBOYS.
P.S. Guys, sex is not something that a woman gives and a man receives. It is mutual. Both of you give and receive, that's how sex works. So let's also quit acting like a woman's sole purpose is to give sex while we receive it.
