Crossing into Manhood: A Men’s Studies Curriculum By Christopher ...

Both movements shared the view that traditional masculinity roles are principally harmful to men, not women (Clatterbaugh, p. 69). The merged group blames women for advocating a new sexism that “thrives on male bashing and male blaming” (Clatterbaugh, p. 11). The primary agenda of this group is the establishment of laws to address the injustices suffered by men in such areas as divorce, child custody, domestic violence prosecution, and sexual harassment statutes (Clatterbaugh, p. 12).

One of the most important figures in the men’s rights movement is Richard Doyle. As a member of America’s Society of Divorced Men, he widened men’s movement issues to include “not only divorce but also criminal justice, child abuse, biological gender issues, affirmative action, paternity court, and welfare for unwed mothers” (Williamson, 1997, The Father’s Rights Movement and the Development of a “Generalist” Outlook, paragraph 12). Doyle wrote a highly controversial book entitled The Rape of the Male (1976), which viewed the legal system’s treatment of men on issues of divorce, child custody, and marriage law as tantamount to rape. Doyle’s tireless work brought unity to the men’s movement. He was the first man “to broaden men’s issues beyond the narrow confines of divorce … [so that] for the first time, men could speak about a ‘men’s movement’ rather than simply a ‘divorce movement’” (Williamson, 1997, The Father’s Rights Movement and the Development of a “Generalist” Outlook, paragraph 13). In 1970, Doyle helped form The Coalition of American Divorce Reform Elements (CADRE). Conceived of as an organization of organizations with the purpose of bringing unity to the leaders of many of the country’s divorce reform groups, CADRE met with many problems, including disagreement over leadership roles and the strategic use of money. Three meetings were held before the group dissolved over differences in strategy and priorities (Williamson, 1997, The Father’s Rights Movement and the Development of a “Generalist” Outlook, paragraph 14). Doyle later formed and became president of the Men’s Rights Association (MRA) in May 1973.

The men’s rights movement also has a number of small organizations devoted to men’s rights issues. Initiated in the late 1970s, Free Men, later known as the Coalition of Free Men, publishes Transitions and is known as an important forum for men’s rights issues. Men’s Rights Incorporated, formed in 1977, issues news releases about men’s rights issues and “challenges legal and policy discriminations against men” (Clatterbaugh, p. 71). In 1980, these two groups coalesced to establish the National Congress for Men and Children (NCMC), an umbrella organization whose motto is “Preserving the Promise of Fatherhood” (Clatterbaugh, p. 71).