Why do SO MANY women ... Hate Men?

Misandry - a word used so infrequently, that spell checkers highlight it as a misspelling, yet "misogyny" - the opposite of misandry - shows up just fine. Yet my personal experience over the past several months show there has been a shift in the relationships of men and women... and I assert there is far more misandry in the world than misogyny.

Misandry: (mĭ-sān'drē) n. Hatred of men. [1946, from miso- "hatred" + andros "of man, male human being" (see anthropo-). Related: Misandrist.]

I can understand that many women have been in abusive relationships with men - physically or mentally abusive. I've experienced the rejection many women at middle-age receive from men - is this the result of misplaced self loathing caused by unrealistic expectations of physical fitness, and body types based on 'popular culture' and the media?

Are men to blame for this? (I can hear women saying, "Damned right!") But blaming men as a race for the strange biases portrayed in the media is like saying "all dogs are bad because a Pitt bull in South Seattle killed an elderly woman in 2009". Not everyone can look like that young girl on the cover of 'Shape' magazine - and not all men WANT someone who looks like that young girl on the cover of 'Shape' - the 'girl', and the desire for that girl (in my mind) both shout of immaturity.

The Catholic Church (big "C" there, as in 'Roman Catholic') and more recent organizations like The Mars Hill "Church" hold to a theological view of "Complementarianism" - holding that "God has created men and women equal in their essential dignity and human personhood, but different and complementary in function with male headship in the home and in the Church." Perhaps it's this viewpoint that's the root cause of all the problems between the sexes... with women always in a secondary role as supporters to the patriarchal - male - leaders. I'm no expert in this area, but I strongly suspect this is the case. And I (for one) don't want to be in a relationship with someone who will always play second banana to me. Oh, I will probably fall back into the 'making the universe over with her at the center' trap I tend to fall into, but old habits die hard, I'm sorry to say...

The Other catholic (i.e. worldwide) Church in America (The Episcopal Church) holds the theological view of "Egalitarianism". Put briefly, egalitarianism holds that "all people are equal before God and in Christ. All have equal responsibility to use their gifts and obey their calling to the glory of God. God freely calls believers to roles and ministries without regard to class, gender, or race." Women are not second banana here - women take on as much of, and as strong a role as they want to take on. This is what I Believe.

Yet there is a growing men's movement that compares a marriage to riding in a car - pointing out there's only one steering wheel - or to a television set, 'there is only one remote control'. In my own experience, I've shared the driving responsibilities, and don't clutch the remote like a caveman, but change the channel, and leave 'the clicker' on the coffee table. It's true... I have been 'the primary bread winner', but I'm not against having an income that's less than a partners - that wouldn't somehow emasculate me to be in a relationship where the woman brought in a bigger salary than me. More disposable income! (woot!) Au contraire - that would be a blessing.

So, yes... I at least admit the inkling of a possibility that from my limited perspective as a mid-life bachelor that without a Magic 8-Ball, appearances point to more misandry than misogyny in the world. But I *will* go on record as saying it's not my fault. I do not hate women. If anything, I love women too much - and there's the irony of being a woman loving middle-aged bachelor in a world steeped in misandry.

Want examples? Example 1: in the movie "Wedding Crashers", there's a scene where Vince Vaughn wakes up to find himself duct-taped to a bed, with his nymphomaniac girlfriend straddling him. It was an uncomfortable scene, yet played as *COMEDY*... rape... as comedy. HORRIBLE!! Yet, if the roles had been reversed, the movie going public would have screamed about, RAILED AGAINST, protested, disclaimed, repudiated and in general REJECTED these filmed actions. But with a woman as rapist, that is somehow seen as okay? And even 'funny'?!?

Example 2: the movie "Enchanted" - there, the male characters are belittled, and emasculated as the female characters literally grab the sword, and do battle with the evil dragon (this time a woman on woman fight rather than the more traditional fairytale male hero vs. the viscous male dragon who has the mixed up sexual identity, and desires human females... is it because all the female dragons have been slain?)

We live in a strange age where men and women seemingly can't even get along - much less meet for dating, mating, or even spending some time together for mutual enjoyment. But admittedly, I'm not looking in the right places... after all, you never find what you're looking for until you look in the last place you would expect [because once you've FOUND something, you stop looking.]

We would ALL do well to "put down The Hate", and "pick up The Love".