Reply #36: thank you and the same to you

[Wetzelbill]

I think a key point lies in not hijacking the discussion as you said.

The problem is, and I think this is why Eloriel has reacted so passionately, is the OP, was talking about seeing things from a male perspective. I know he didn't mean that it should start from a male pov, but it can come off male-centric like that. I was only kidding about the "shut up and listen" part, but in a nutshell, that's how we have to start. It really pisses some women off when a guy starts talking about himself with regards to discrimination, many don't care to hear a guy's personal experiences. It is a side of the debate, but is one that has to wait until women become comfortable with what you are doing for the bigger part of discrimination - which is against females - and not concerned with the male sect of it. It is important, no doubt, but if you start by talking about male discrimination to women who have been hurt by men and don't trust men in the first place, then you might be setting yourself up for some trouble.

Good point about sexism cannot end until men end the discriminating and so forth. That in itself wouldn't be a bad vantage point to start the discussion off with either.