10 Responses to the Phrase ‘Man Up’

It’s the favorite advice of patriarchal misogynists everywhere: “Man up.” (See also: “Grow a pair,” “Be a man,” and “Stop acting like a girl.”) This phrase presents a view of masculinity that is oppressive to not just women and gender non-conforming people, but to men as well.

Check out Guante’s awesome poem with ten ways to respond to this so-called “advice.”

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

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Guante is a hip hop artist, two-time National Poetry Slam champion, social justice activist, educator and writer. He and/or his work has appeared on Upworthy, MSNBC, Racialicious, Feministing, MPR, the Progressive, City Pages’ “Artists of the Year” list and URB Magazine’s “Next 1000” list, and he’s shared bills with Talib Kweli, Saul Williams, Brother Ali, Dead Prez, Sage Francis, Andrea Gibson, Doomtree, Zion I and more. Guante’s work explores the intersections of art, media and social justice education; to that end, he facilitates workshops on identity, power and privilege, founded the MN Activist Project and Hip Hop Against Homophobia concert series, writes essays and op-eds, and works with COMPAS, TruArtSpeaks and others to engage in artist residencies around writing and performance for youth. Follow him on Twitter @elguante.

Video courtesy of Button Poetry. For more amazing spoken word performances, check them out on YouTube and Facebook.