When playing the role of an Ally, sometimes men find themselves in the situation where the misogynist or naysayer will attempt to emasculate them.
Emasculating phrases include:
Emasculation is an example of silencing. It attempts to remove the privilege of the man so as to reduce the worth of his word and make it easier for a misogynist to discard.
Homophobic emasculation
As well as being accused of being weak and feminine, feminist allies may be called gay, on the assumption that, like being a woman, being gay lessens one's worth as a person:
- I am certainly not the first pro-feminist man to be called “gay” as a form of attack, and I unfortunately won’t be the last. But I would like to take a moment to address the phenomenon of why those of us who speak out against men’s violence are so often called “gay” – and to talk a little bit about how we can respond to this supposed slur.
