An old friend recently called me out on my stance about men’s rights, as is their right, and I’m more than happy to enter into the discussion. This is a brief and incomplete explanation of my point of view—let’s keep the discussion going!

Since when did defending men become synonymous with misogyny? It’s ridiculous that whenever someone stands up and speaks out about the issues men face, it’s instantly twisted into an attack on women. Imagine if we flipped the script—if the things said about men every day on social media were directed at women. The outrage would be massive, with calls for justice and equality from every corner. And that’s fair—everyone should be protected from toxic narratives. But let’s be real: if it’s wrong for one, it’s wrong for all.

The truth is, men deal with real struggles too. They face expectations that are unrealistic, mental health crises that are ignored, and double standards that no one talks about. If a man is emotional, he’s weak. If he chooses to be vulnerable, he’s seen as less of a man. And when men face those societal pressures and speak up? They’re told to ‘man up,’ ‘deal with it,’ or worse, they’re laughed at. If the same standards were applied to women, we’d be shouting from the rooftops about injustice. And that’s not a stretch—it’s hypocrisy in its purest form.

But here’s the kicker: the moment someone dares to defend men, it’s labeled ‘misogynistic.’ Suddenly, wanting fairness and balance is seen as an attack on women. Yet no one calls it misandrist when men are collectively blamed, shamed, or their issues are dismissed. And let’s be real, fuck wokeness when it turns into this lopsided, one-sided hypocrisy that forgets that everyone deserves support. If we’re really about equality, then we don’t get to pick and choose which gender’s problems matter. That’s not progress—that’s creating a new imbalance under the guise of being progressive.

So who’s going to fight for men when they’re told they can’t have struggles? Who’s going to speak up when they’re dealing with depression, anxiety, body image issues, or facing pressure to be the unbreakable ‘strong man’? Where’s the outrage when they’re told that their pain is somehow less valid, that their mental health is ‘not as important’?

Let’s be clear: supporting men doesn’t mean dismissing women’s struggles or minimizing their challenges. It’s about fairness. It’s about recognizing that men and women both face issues in this world, and just because they’re different doesn’t make one set of struggles more important than the other. Real equality means respecting everyone’s experiences and being willing to fight for everyone’s right to be heard.

Standing up for men’s issues isn’t misogynistic, it’s calling for a real balance. Men deserve to be defended, they deserve compassion, and they deserve a voice in the conversation—just like anyone else. Supporting one gender shouldn’t come at the expense of another. If we really care about equality, then it’s about time we stop pretending one side has all the problems and the other has none. Dismissing men’s issues isn’t just biased—it’s misandrist, plain and simple.