The question that won’t go away

My last post opened with “Remember the ladies,” a quote from an appeal for powerless women more than three centuries ago. Now I’m saying, “Join the ladies” -- or better yet, “Join the women who seem to significantly outnumber men in the animal advocacy field.”

Although a much longer sentence, it comes down to this: are men as scarce as they seem to be in animal welfare endeavors?  Oh sure, men head up both the national HSUS and ASPCA organizations, as well as NJ’s state chapter . . . .

But by and large in my experience and observation, women are the real doers at virtually all levels. Think Angi Metler and Janine Motta, executive director and programs director of the Animal Protection League of NJ, our Jersey-born statewide organization. Both undisputed leaders, they’re also down in the trenches, working every day for animals, and have been doing so for years.

Metler

Now think of rescue groups you know and count how many men are regularly involved, doing the scut work as well as the higher-profile stuff. 

Where are the men?  Why are they in the minority?  Why aren’t they equally involved in animal welfare -- doing the same thing, in numbers, that women all over seem to be doing : cleaning cages, transporting, fostering, writing letters, demonstrating . . . ?!

Years ago, the reason for their absence could have been that men work, supporting families, etc., but, hello! women also fill the workforce.  Could the reason be the old stereotype about women being more nurturing and more interested in relationships than in visibility and power (long assumed to be men’s goals)? 

Why are men in animal advocacy the exceptions, rather than the rule?

Motta

Could they feel that hands-on work for animals is a low-status role?  (Think too of home health-care aides.)  And/or, animal welfare can have to do with reading and expressing feelings, and downright dirty work -- cleaning cages comes to mind.  It has to do with building cooperative relationships, then nurturing them -- an area usually connected with women, although in this case, I think the stereotype is more correct than not.

Further, at least before they're career-secure, men seem to need to be competitive, to at least talk money and manipulation.  Of the few men I've encountered in the animal welfare field, most are mature men who have already proven themselves in the "real world" or they were anomalies in animal welfare who made early progress and achieved executive positions there.

Yes, I know there are other ways that men advocate for animals.  Just think: Peter Singer and the numerous writers since who have followed in his Animal Liberation footsteps.  Overall, men seem to publish more about animals in mainstream media than women do. They also seem to do more public speaking and be more often quoted on the subject too.

Singer

This issue calls for readers’ impressions and comments. Are men in fact the minority of those working on the front lines for animals? And if so, why? And longer range, should and can men be enlisted to join this cause?

Men, if you’ve read this far, you’re probably involved and fighting the good fight for animals. Why?  How did you get involved? And how can more men be recruited?

 (If you read my blog posts on www.1moreonce.blogspot.com ,you can comment right here.  If you subscribe to this blog, simply click where indicated at the bottom of this post and comment. “Anonymous” is an OK way to do it when you’re asked to ID yourself.  I’m after informative comments, not names!)

And this reminder

 November is adopt a senior cat month.  (But don’t stop there! Consider bringing a homeless animal home with you for the happy holiday season – and forever after.)

http://www.catster.com/the-scoop/november-adopt-a-senior-pet-month?utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=Catster%20Ful%20List&utm_campaign=CED20171108

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