Comments on: Man haters?

By: Kem

Kem — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 19:28:51 +0000

I think you missed one of the points that Diaz made in that interview. He said he believes men are generally not raised to see women as 100 percent human beings. Sex objects? Yes. People–with feelings–that matter? Equals? No. The day of his book’s release I went to see him speak at Barnes and Noble and he mentioned that he created these characters in a way to shine a light on behavior that should be criticized or looked at critically. He said he’d like for this to be a tool for feminists. So I think Diaz is not letting men off the hook for bad behavior. But I don’t think it’s about men being bad per se it’s about looking at how women are undervalued in patriarchal culture. Not related to Diaz–but look at the ongoing threat to Roe v. Wade or the recent state legislation about women and invasive gynecological exams. These are examples of women being seen as mattering less. Also–in terms of specific characters in his books–Diaz has made it clear that he draws on his personal life for his fiction and he’s described his father as abusive. He talks about how important machismo was valued growing up. How or why should this not come out in his books? It sounds like he’s being honest about his observations and reflections and characters. Of course there are wonderful men in the world…but that’s not the point of his latest book.

By: Kristin Laughtin

Kristin Laughtin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:41:37 +0000

Couldn’t part of the reason you’re not finding completely stand-up guys be that authors strive to give even their good characters realistic flaws?

I wonder how much the increase in women’s voices over the last half-century or century has played a role. There are more women writers now than ever before, and women in general are more outspoken about feminism, sexism, etc. Their critiques are being heard (both in literature and in other areas of life) by both women and men. These women and men then promote those ideas to others, etc., and men stop always being the heroes in stories.

By: D.C. DaCosta

D.C. DaCosta — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:56:52 +0000

I think it’s a matter of “Give the people what they want”. Women want to feel superior, so you give them a male who makes them feel superior. If you’re writing Mickey Spillane, you give the male reader female characters to whom he can feel superior.

By: Aonghus Fallon

Aonghus Fallon — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 09:04:24 +0000

I guess a lot of it has to do with promoting positive role models, but I also reckon it can sometimes backfire on the perpetrators. For as long as I remember, most family sit-coms have depicted the wife as the voice of reason and the husband as – essentially – an overgrown child. The irony is that audience sympathies are invariably with the husband. The wife is seen as a bit of a spoilsport (eg; The Simpsons).

Being Irish, I do get tired of the popular stereotype of the Irish male as some irresponsible, drunken charmer. There are probably just as many Irish women who fulfil the same criteria – which is to say, not THAT many.

By: Paula B.

Paula B. — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 23:11:02 +0000

I don’t mean to be flippant, but surely Harry Potter is a great guy. The fact that he’s a kid shouldn’t matter.