What does feminism have to with cutting off penises? What is the psychology behind this?

Question

There was a questionn posted on here about unacompanied kids not being allowed to sit by men on planes being unfair to men. One person answered that if they have a rule like that, they shouldn't let kids sit next to feminists because they might cut their penise off. I've noticed a lot of men on here seem to equate feminism with castration and penise amputation.

I read the book "One Flew the CooCoo's Nest" which was written in the sixties by Ken Kesey, and he associated independent women with men being castrated. That's just one small proof that the few wacky women that cut off penises have nothing to do with the deep seated psychological issues of men feeling castrated around independent women.

Answer 1

I think it's really about men feeling less and less necessary in this culture, having their traditional roles "taken" from them.

Answer 2

Whenever we give a truthful answer to a question like this, some women don't like it, and some even call us "trolls," a code-word for "male who doesn't agree with whatever the feminist line is." I don't think a man should be called a "troll" if he's giving an honest, thoughtful response. But you can do what you like, of course, as can we.

To answer the question: a small minority of militant gender feminists (I am an equity feminist, and I think most men and women on this board are, too), especially young gender feminists, seem to be angry about a lot of things. Their anger is often misplaced because it is sometimes directed at males who are not impeding them from doing anything and who actually support the march toward equality for all people. But, you see, many men have been put into uncomfortable situations where such a woman scolds us for things we had no part in creating -- as if we were de facto enablers of an evil system that subjugates them. Or if we express an idea about even a trivial matter that they deem sexist, their attitude is --"Ugh!" (There's a popular feminist blog where "Ugh" is the favorite response of some these enlightened women.) I am referring to supposed "sexist" comments that no reasonable person would find "sexist," but coming from a man, this class of woman must react "Ugh!"

Now very few feminists are like this, most are courteous. But the few who are not courteous make a lasting and unfortunate impression. Their confrontational attitudes single us out solely because we are males, and hence the castration analogies. Their approach, of course, does a disservice to the cause of equality because it turns men off. Frankly, turning men off may be just fine with these angry feminists, but women have never succeeded in breaking bariers without some men supporting them -- there's too many of us.

Answer 3

Y'know... I don't equate feminism with castrations or penectomies. But, I recall during the Lorena Bobbitt case, a lot of women laughing about it, joking with their partner's saying, "You're not gonna sleep soundly tonight," and things like that.

They were joking of course, but that sort of joke is no more funny than if a guy made jokes about a man mutilating women.

(I realize that the perpetrator in this case may have - in some sense - been acting in self-defense, under duress, or whatever, but presumably the women who joked about it weren't ALSO married to rapists or batterers.)

It may be that some guys equate feminism with those who find that sort of joke amusing.

Or, it may be that they feel feminism is a threat to their sense of power and their penises are a symbol of that.

Or they may identify feminism with misandrists like Valerie Solanas.

I suspect it varies with the man and all these answers may apply in different cases.

Answer 4

I'm not sure about psychology, but I can remember when Andrea Dworkin and Catherine MacKinnon equated heterosexual sex and all penetration by a penis as being rape, ergo penises should be kept at bay until patriarchy/male power no longer existed. This got translated by conservatives into the "feminism=castration" cliche. Which is ridiculous---few feminists in my time (I'm an early boomer) or now ever thought men should be castrated in order to empower women.

A lot of guys in this forum don't seem to realize that feminism has evolved and become much more complicated since the 70s. Current feminist thinkers like bell hooks, Sheila Rowbotham, Julia Kristeva, Luce Irigaray, Trinh T. Minh-Ha and even Camille Paglia have addressed the intersections between gender, class, race and sexuality. It's not your mother's burn-your-bra feminism anymore, guys. Many feminists acknowledge the importance of eroticism, racial politics and aesthetics in the discussion of gender politics. And a lot of us love men and invite masculinist discourse.

(But this is just going to confuse a lot of these kids. Most of them are too young, too simple-minded to get it. )

Answer 5

The analogy about cutting off penises is silly. There have been a few isolated cases of women cutting off their husband's penises but even though I don't condone what they did, I can see why they did it. One famous case involved an abusive husband who cheated on his wife and had a child with another woman while he was still married to her. This was in spite of the fact he pressured his wife to have an abortion when she got pregnant. Comparing the actions of a few desperate women with feminism is just plain crazy.

As for unaccompanied minors not sitting next to men on planes, has it ever occurred to anyone that a lot of men do not like to sit next to children on planes, especially if they're infants? Over the years, I have heard many more complaints from men about children being on planes than from women. I've even heard some of them proposing the establishment of "child free" areas on planes.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

I guess my secrets out!! My medicine cabinet is full of penises in jars! The formaldehyde helps preserve them nicely.
Every morning when I brush my teeth, there they are, staring at me with one eye. I consider them spoils of war, a token of my humiliating defeat of a misogynist! Muwhahahahahaha!!! I couldn't decide what to do with the balls. At first I stuffed them, and threw them around in the back yard playing fetch with my dog. They didn't last too long, and rotted quickly. Then I had a great idea! I took off my little Jack in the Box head on the antenna of my car, and wallah! They look so cute bobbing around up there! I decorate them with permanent marker for whatever season it is, my Santa being the absolute cutest!!



Will someone please go free poor repressed Laela from her dungeon?? What a total crack pot!! Bats in the belfry and all that. EEEEEEEEEEGAAADS!!


Edit: RoVale, I can't stand sitting next to kids on planes. I usually fly sans my own children just because of this. I know it may sound terrible, but I left my kids at home so I could relax, but somebodies cute, yet fussy baby is giving me a migraine. If we're going on a family vacation I can't leave the house without my anti-anxiety pills, period.

Answer 8

Ever noticed the look of fear on a man's face when his other says.."..you got to sleep sometime.."...?..in older times young philosphers would be encouraged to..how you say..discharge the penis..with tightly-wound rubber..till it fell off. Takes all types I suppose. Essentially I think it's a Freudian thing .

Answer 9

it's another way of saying that's what your taking away from kids in the future. feminism is ruining boys lives and you just do not realise it. we are eventually going to be as respected as animals. feminisms aim is to seperate men and women, it's got nothing to do with equality anymore alright. but you won't take any man's opinion in mind because your focusing on "equality" right?

Answer 10

Because radical feminist Andrea Dworkin has actually suggested this as a "solution" to males.

Answer 11

Perhaps it's because without a penis they wouldn't feel like a man? They might in fact feel feminine? Haaa!

Edit - I feel that only a man can answer this question with any degree of accuracy or certainty. And a womans answer, well very entertaining, is purely presumptive conjecture.
No offense chicki poohs!