I can’t help but notice an increase recently in posts and articles that denigrate the idea of manhood, manliness, and just being a man in general. It seems that if you are born with...ahem…the hardware associated with a man, you must be torn down and perhaps even feel ashamed. This is borne of the idea that men have generally controlled positions of power in society; no singular group of people or gender should lord over another; this same society controlled by men has significant issues; ergo all men are evil and must be put in their place. For at least the last decade, or at least since the rise of the ultra-liberal feminist movement, this philosophy has gained significant steam and seems to be dominating the press of late…or at least my social media feed.

For years, societal pressures have increasingly stressed a gender neutrality. The purpose for this neutrality is, in many ways, a drive for equality. Instead of a partnership between two groups of people or sexes, where one’s strength on either side accounts for the others weakness in any given area, we now must assume equality in every degree. Yet if all things are to be equal, and one group or sex is weaker in any given area, instead of relying on the other to strengthen them, the weaker insists that the stronger be weakened. It’s like one of my boys screaming during a basketball game that it’s not fair that he’s shorter than his brother and insisting the taller play on his knees. If this is how things are to work going forward, how then, as a society, can we progress?

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For those that follow this page, particularly those in the military, you already know that women are now able to serve in previously male dominated roles. The greatest fear, besides male psychological factors, is the physical one. The fear that if I, a 190lb man wearing full kit goes down, there’s no way a 130lb female in full kit is slinging me up and over her shoulder, running through fire to safety. But in the interest of “equality,” these concerns must be ignored. The Marines insist that physical standards in previously male dominated roles will not, and have not been dropped. In the above example then, this 130lb female probably wouldn’t have made it through the MOS training and instead be provided a different role (and for the record, I’ve personally met females that could likely toss two men over their shoulders and sprint off the battlefield). For the females that do make it through, most counter-insurgency veterans know that women can bring a different element to the fight that may absolutely come in handy on the battlefield. But it’s a thin line that we walk. On one side, a male’s strengths, whatever they may be, compensate for a female’s weakness and vice versa making a better, more efficient team. On the other side of the spectrum, some feel that individual strengths, based on gender anyway (and primarily those of males), must be dampened so that all is “equal.” Things seem to be trending towards the latter.

In January of 2018, the city of Colorado Springs had to settle a lawsuit for $2.5 Million, raised by 12 Female Police Officers stating that the Police Departments physical abilities test discriminated against women. The women’s attorney stated the following:

“The Judge’s ruling and the size of the settlement should discourage other police departments from adopting similar tests that discriminate against women.”
“The women have acted bravely to stop a practice that demoralized them and discouraged the retention of women in the police department.”
“Their purpose was always to stop a discriminatory practice from gaining a foot hold and spreading to other police departments. With Judge Matsch’s ruling and the substantial settlement they have achieved a great victory for women.”

Is this a victory for women? Or is this a decrease in effectiveness within the Colorado Springs police force? The issue in the Colorado Springs case is mainly associated with whether or not the test properly replicated real-life scenarios. But if you ask me, an officer should be ready for anything. It appears that in this case, those women who failed the physical standards are demanding “equality” in physical strengths. This is clear because their reported issue was that they felt “demoralized.” Seemingly lost is that they could have merely argued the efficacy of a physical fitness test at all, showing that non-physical strengths could create a more complete, “stronger” police force. 

And then there’s a status of the population that insists that both men and women are equal already and any indication otherwise is “hate speech.” Earlier this year at Oregon’s Portland State University, Biology Professor Heather Heying spoke of “explicitly anatomical and physiological differences” between men and women, pointing out that men, on average were taller than women and that women lactate while men don’t. The panels audience went into a rage, vandalized the communication equipment and stormed out declaring that “fascism should not be tolerated in civil society,” and “Nazis are not welcome in civil society.” But this isn’t unique to students in Portland.

Recently, I stumbled across a fashion show organized by Supernatural, Extraterrestrial & Co. | Xanderzhou where male models strutted across the stage exposing baby bumps. Their Instagram post states “At Supernatural, Extraterrestrial & Co., we’re prepared to welcome a future of male pregnancy.” In the interest of equality, we must seemingly ignore basic biology and applaud such things. 

Finally, there are some that will accept that there are biological differences, accept that society today shows a male dominance in many areas of power, and simply demand that men then sacrifice their strengths on the altar of equality and even accept an inferior role to balance out the past. On June 8^th, the Washington Post published an article titled “Why can’t we hate men?” Indeed, why not? That sounds civil right? (insert sarcasm font). In the article, Suzanna Danuta Walters states that those who argue that “men are not the problem, this system is,” are naïve and ends with a call for men to simply cede everything to women. 

“So men, if you really are #WithUs and would like us to not hate you for all the millennia of woe you have produced and benefited from, start with this: Lean out so we can actually just stand up without being beaten down. Pledge to vote for feminist women only. Don’t run for office. Don’t be in charge of anything. Step away from the power. We got this. And please know that your crocodile tears won’t be wiped away by us anymore. We have every right to hate you. You have done us wrong.”

Perhaps I’m just not “woke,” and I’m not sure I wish to be awakened.

-Sleeping Beauty

If you are one who believes in strength and using those strengths towards something greater, not dampening them for the sake of others, use code ALPHA to get 10% off our unisex (yep that’s right) Alpha T’s and socks. Because whether you’re a man or a woman, always strive to be the Alpha.