Debating Anti-Feminists: What have Feminists done for Men's issues? Well...

I hear this one frequently, which illustrates that a lot of anti-feminists haven't studied feminist history at all. The good news is that I am about to educate them. :P

* Feminists have tried to change the Selective Service law countless times since it was first implemented. For example, during the Vietnam war, feminists argued to expand women's roles from just support staff to active combat. This was met with hostility from the predominantly male Congress of course. Yes, much like most of the United States population, the majority of feminists were against the war but there were some (mainly female service members) who still wanted to expand our roles in combat. I recommend reading books like "A Time Remembered: American Women in the Vietnam War" by Olga Gruzit-Hoyt. Then in 1980, Jimmy Carter WANTED to include women in Selective Service, which was widely supported by Feminists, but the idea was bashed by Republicans in Congress (with a male majority again) and didn't get enough votes to pass. The decision was challenged by the ACLU's Women's Rights Project and the case was again widely supported by feminists, including the National Organization for Women. Rostker v. Goldberg was the case that went to the Supreme Court challenging the ruling and this was supported by feminists. The National Organization for women even passed a resolution publicly pointing out that Selective Service was discriminating against women by not allowing us to be included. If you want something more recent, Democrats attempted to create a new law including women back in 2004 but it was defeated by Republicans yet again. Every attempt to either end Selective Service or change it to include women has been stopped by, you guessed it.... MEN. They are also the ones who kept us out of direct combat for so many years.



 * Feminists widely supported the Craig v. Boren case which ruled that an equal application of law must be applied to both genders. This was about an Oklahioma law that set different drinking ages for men (21) and women (18) because women mature faster than men. While this may be accurate, you still can't create laws like this and feminists rallied to change it. We succeeded.

* Feminists have fought for LGBT rights, which is something that effects both genders, especially gay men and trans people, who are usually targeted the most frequently.

 * Feminists are responsible for Title IX, which covers both women and men.

* Feminism played a major role in more women joining the workforce rather than being housewives, which lifts the old burden that was placed mostly on men. We have actually helped change a lot of things in society like this, such as fighting to make birth control more wideley available, again taking some of the burden away from men.

* Feminist groups widely supported the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act. It passed.

* Feminists fight to end gender stereotypes that are harmful to both men and women.

* Feminist groups like the Feminist Majority created the "Rape is Rape Campaign" to have the legal definition of rape changed and the new definition included men. Which is why I am always puzzled when anti-feminists claim that we don't include men as rape victims. We freaking changed the law to include men you fools. :o

* Feminists were behind the Moritz v. Commissioner case, which allowed men to make the same tax deductions for depends as women.

* Feminists have also fought to solve a lot of issues not related to gender, such as child labor laws, increasing the minimum wage, etc... Most of them affected males and females.

These are just some of the ways feminists have made positive changes in society for men as well as women.