✿ NEW MASCULINITIES
New Masculinities Group has been meeting monthly since January 2017, encouraging men in Portland, OR to critically examine gender, sexuality, and masculinity, through an intersectional feminist perspective. Though our meetings were initially exclusive to those identifying as men, we've always attempted to base our readings and conversations on the most pressing issues affecting the people in our lives, while simultaneously learning to explore our own experience as men in a patriarchal world. It is our goal to create a space that is vulnerable and safe enough to allow men to engage in the intimate and honest conversations we are rarely encouraged to have, yet still challenges us to confront our complicity in oppressive structures and behaviors.
As of late 2018, we also invite women and nonbinary folks to join the conversation, in order to discuss the changes are needed from the men in our communities, and do so openly in a vulnerable face-to-face setting. This allows us to expand our perspectives and balance the insularity of the men’s meetings. It also allows for inclusive, nuanced conversations about the ways patriarchy harms every one of us. We encourage all who attend to make sure their feminism is inclusive and intersectional, recognizing that all struggles against oppression are interconnected. In the group and elsewhere in our lives, we attempt to live with humility, accountability, and a will to change.
Date: Sunday, March 10th
Time: 4PM Pacific
Location: Zoom Meeting
All Gender Meeting
Join us for the final session of our all-gender book club, completing Christine Emba's 2022 Rethinking Sex: A Provocation. We became aware of Emba recently from her excellent article Men are Lost. Here's a Map out of the Wilderness and were intrigued by her other work.
For our final session, let's read Chapters 6-9: "Some Desires are Worse than Others," "A New Ethic," and "Rethinking Sex."
As we approach the final chapters of Rethinking Sex, we'll be determining whether Emba's book is a visionary blueprint for fulfilling intimacy, a close-minded work of puritanical kink-shaming, or something in-between: flawed and frustrating, but nevertheless full of ideas worth considering.
To help us shape our critique, let's read:
Distorting Conclusions in “Rethinking Sex” by Ben Clarke for the Chicago Review of Books
Rethinking Sex for Whom? by Jen Gerson in Comment
We previously suggested reading these as well:
"Should we stop having casual sex?" By Anna Iovine
"We Can 'Rethink Sex' Without Reviving Purity Culture" by Jennifer C. Martin
A few recognitions: Though we think the conversations here can appeal and apply to anyone struggling with what sex means today, Emba's book is focused on cis, hetero sexual culture. We think it's appropriate and compelling for folks in this group, but fully understand if anyone feels this isn't the book for them. And to again be very clear: we do not love every word in this book, and look forward to wrestling with it critically.
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