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20th November 2020
01:44pm GMT
“Why have a minister for women but not one for men?" asked Bradley. “Why single out one characteristic for special mention?”
https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1329460306603610113?s=20 Bradley, who once suggested that unemployed people should have vasectomies to stop them having children, claimed that terms like "male privilege" and "toxic masculinity" are doing more harm than good.“Men are talked about all too often as a problem which must be rectified," he said. “Too often the constant drive for equality and diversity seeks to drag others down rather than lift everyone up.”
Bradley added that certain traditional values now often deemed unacceptable, ie "banter with the lads," have become an issue for some men, who might have been brought up to believe differently."They might struggle to find it when they’re told those things they thought were virtues – their good manners, wanting to provide for their family, wanting to be a man’s man, wanting to go to the football at the weekend and have some banter with the lads – are toxic, doing down the women around them," he said.
“Those manners they were taught on the way to respect women in their life is now sexist, that banter is now bullying.”
The Tory MP finished his speech by asking that Britain's men be as protected as its women.“Can we ensure equality means just that rather than positive discrimination at the expense of certain groups?" he said. “Male is equally protected as female and we could do worse in this place than to confirm how the Act should be properly used.
Bradley's request for a "minister for men" received much criticism online, most notably from former Labour shadow home secretary Jacqui Smith, who pointed out that both men and women already benefit from equality. https://twitter.com/Jacqui_Smith1/status/1329486297061318669?s=20 "Dear Ben," she said. "The men I know & love recognise institutional sexism and patriarchy and want its debilitating effect on women tackled. They also believe women AND men would benefit from a more equal society. "They're not sure you're quite as committed to that as they are!"Explore more on these topics:
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