Some readers have come up with some ideas and suggestions for what a men’s space ought to like. Lukobe brought up the “working men’s clubs,” an old British tradition from the industrial era that provided men with an opportunity to socialize and support each other. Niko wrote that his local soccer club serves a similar purpose for him, and Miles came up with the idea, which I like, of having the club pay for itself. Both novaseeker and Lukobe pointed out that personal interaction is essential, so these clubs must have local meeting places.
All good input, which should allow us to start working on a preliminary blueprint. It is often easy for me to get ahead of myself, so maybe it’s best for now to think about first steps. As much of a blessing as the internet has been, it also has an ennervating tendency to spread networks out across geographical areas, making it difficult to develop the personal relationships that are based on close contact. However, for those of us who are interested in this endeavor, it can contribute to the rapid spread of useful ideas and methods. Therefore, I think a good first step would be to create a list of like-minded individuals who are willing to put some effort into developing men’s centers in our own backyards.
Secondly, as a few commenters mentioned, there may be some legal issues to work out. Given the widespread acceptance of women’s centers and organizations, I think we’re on solid ground, and non-profit status may give us significant leeway. As far as I know, only public and profit-oriented establishments are required to allow unrestricted access. However, I am not an attorney, so I’ll have to ask the lawyers I know about this. As for a club paying for itself, I believe it could operate a public business on the side, such as a restaurant, or sell drinks and food to members, as the workingmen’s clubs do. One workingmen’s club in the UK evidently ran a brewery, and did quite well. I lean toward southern food, but that’s just my preference. But here I am getting ahead of myself…
So getting back to the first step, perhaps we should discuss the establishment of a list — an informal, embryonic international union of sorts. So many movements in history have been founded on the ideal of brotherhood that, with a steady eye on our common welfare as men, I don’t think we can go wrong.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Lukobe // May 27, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Hard to beat either
http://groups.google.com
or
http://groups.yahoo.com/
You can install your own, if you want to use Welmer.org as the server, but the above solutions seem to have that beat as far as convenience goes. Then again, use Welmer.org and you have closer control over the archives, I suppose.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majordomo_(software)
2 Niko // May 28, 2009 at 1:06 am
Legal Structure: Private concern, Incorporated, Association, Trust
Financial structure: Charitable, for profit, membership
Affiliation: Stand alone, religious, linked to current organization
Mission: Health/Fitness, Entertainment, Shelter etc.
Charitable/ Funding potential
The history of successful like organizations are overwhelmingly membership based that provide a specific service but have an overriding charitable or religious mission.
The classic example is the YMCA.
3 novaseeker // May 28, 2009 at 12:45 pm
These are good ideas. We should do this.
Legally I do not think it would be an issue for private not-for-profit clubs — you can exclude people you do not want in them, including on the basis of gender. Most of the situations we remember about men’s spaces being colonized by women were not due to lawsuits but rather due to organized social pressure.
I think at this point in time we’re not as likely to get blowback.
On that note, similar things are happening in other veins. Look at this story: http://tinyurl.com/ry6rbc
It seems some enterprising young men are moving forward and re-starting groups for men on campus. This is *exactly* what we need to see!
Things are happening, men. I think our word is reaching more and more men and things are happening.
4 miles // May 28, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Archery club? Golf Driving range? Shooting club? A house with plenty of computer jacks for gamers? Just throwing out ideas. The above ideas could be “ruse” excuses for the club to exist when it actually exists for something else.
A check of father’s rights groups might yield some interested parties. It would be great if there were the classic old drawing room men’s clubs where guys could plot, plan, and scheme business with moles on the planning commissions and zoning boards like the old days. Maybe thats what the Masons are -really- about (LOL). It seems like all the developers (and city alderman, town council members, the mayor and vice mayor) in my little town do that.
5 Justin // May 29, 2009 at 2:54 pm
This is especially important given the disappearance of the father from the lives of boys. Given that almost half of boys do not have their father at home, any effort at men’s support should start with supporting and reaching out to young men.
6 Niko // May 29, 2009 at 7:57 pm
No faggy, femized, misandrized, liberal, marxist gynocratic, crying, outreach, howling in the wilderness poofter lodge.
No feminist reaction ism which leads to a futher liberal dialecticism and genderization.
Nothing but old school clubs where blokes operate on their own terms and have time and networks to square their shit.
7 Lukobe // Jun 1, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Just saw this in the (University of Washington) Daily: http://dailyuw.com/2009/6/1/campus-watchmen-power-graduation-ban/
A junior at the University of Chicago formed a club, Men in Power, “following enthusiastic support of a column he wrote for the student newspaper challenging the lack of advocacy groups for men.” There are now 125 members — and some of them are women! But, of course, there are detractors.
One, the president of Women in Business at the U of C, says “she wasn’t ‘sure [the campus] really need[s] another student organization that focuses on preprofessional development for men.” Another, a member of Feminist Majority, says, “It’s like starting ‘white men in business.’ There’s not really any purpose.”
I should think that if 125 members, some of whom are women, think there’s a purpose, that speaks for itself.
Here’s founder Saltarelli’s original article: http://www.chicagomaroon.com/2009/3/2/men-in-power
8 Justin // Jun 12, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Great article, Lukobe, thanks, I have blogged it myself.
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