Save the Males looks at feminist culture in North America and explains how it is now detrimental to men and boys growing up. The first wave of feminism gave women the right to vote, the second wave gave them abortions and divorces, and the third, current wave of feminism has made women into pornstars. It’s not so much about equality anymore as it is about “goddess worship.”
Parker asserts that the importance of fatherhood is being undermined and efforts are being made to prove it as completely unnecessary. “Now becoming a single mother isn’t so much an accident as, for some, a goal.” Artificial insemination and adoption among single women is on the rise and men are taking note. If their role as good role models and fathers really isn’t that important, then why bother stepping up to the plate to be just that?
On television, nary is a program found where the father isn’t a bumbling buffoon and, well, thank God he’s got a wife to take care of him; The Simpsons, Family Guy, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Malcolm in the Middle come to mind.
I picked up this book because it’s been an issue I’ve been following here or there on the internet (Dr. Helen’s blog comes to mind). I love men and the idea of chivalry, manliness, and the fact that, no, I really can’t open this jar by myself; yes, I really would prefer a man in the house to defend me in case of an intruder, and no, I don’t think that every guy I see on the street is a potential rapist.
She covers other issues in the book such as women in the military, pornography, The Vagina Monologues, child support and unfair divorce proceedings that favor women over men.
Kathleen Parker asks for a fourth wave of “reasonable” feminism to come around, one that encourages men to be as amazing as we know they are capable of, not just “non-threatening” waxed-up metros with great style. Nature is being thrown out of whack with all this “men aren’t necessary anymore” banter. Women need to get over themselves, stop standing over mirrors and realize that.
