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Underachievement of white boys

(205 Posts)
JohnnyMo Sun 24-Aug-25 09:11:24

๐™‚๐™–๐™ก๐™–๐™ญ๐™ฎ: I must tell the white working boys who are least likely to achieve in education how lucky they really are.

๐™‚๐™ง๐™ค๐™ฌ๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™ช๐™›๐™› : Maybe you should start another thread about why they underachieve as a group. I doubt if it has anything to do with other cultures.

Wyllow3 Wed 27-Aug-25 02:47:31

I sincerely hope that works out as well as it possibly can.

I totally accept your experience with your female manager was abusive, I would venture all posters have met at least one.

But how can you possibly generalise from that one example when there are so many superb women co workers and managers in so many places of work?

Yes, obviously when I was a young women at work, I experienced sexual harassment, many posters have too, and yes, I assure you its much worse at home: the man you are on the most imitate terms with you has to be controlling, in everytway, and gaslights (when you dont believe your own reality any more.

How would you feel about a man from the same background as yourself abusing your daughter?

" Oh... it's becuase he's in the only group of men not getting help"

No, you'd want to go round and clock him one and report to the police.

For the white working class background is an excuse for which poor behaviours exclusive to that group ?

JohnnyMo Wed 27-Aug-25 02:03:47

I am a man, early 60's born and brought up in M'bro. Very working class family, Irish Catholic and still a regular church goer.

That background I can identify with the white working boys now being failed at school. I was probably in the top 5% in the school and did not achieve what is now considered the minimum standard. I still don't have an English Language O level.

University Degree, worked as a computer programmer and now retired. Family 3 daughters, the youngest has just completed her PhD in Uncertainty in measuring water quality in rivers.

Politically I would describe myself as centre-right, much more Cameron or even Clegg than Truss.

I don't agree with some of IMHO excessive woke politics which seem to be forced on society by a very small but loud section of the population.
1) I am much more concerned about slavery TODAY than 200 years ago.
2) Anyone genuinely suffering gender dysphonia will have my support but I want to see evidence you really are.
....

As I said I had a bad experience at work, sexual harassment by a female colleague and sexual discrimination by the management in not preventing it. As part of my recovery I read up on the subject and was shocked at how many male victims there are. Prior to than my perception was male victims existed but were statistically insignificant.

Sexual harassment at work was bad enough but domestic abuse in the home I assume is much worse.

Does this help ?

PS not normally up at this time just my FiL is in A&E

Wyllow3 Wed 27-Aug-25 00:39:56

JohnnyMo

You puzzle me.

IMO

I notice that you usually quote, you ask questions, you seem to mock, you seem to me to sometimes parody:

but you don't seem, except rarely, to tell us about you

I wanted to help when I thought here is a male who finds it difficult to express themselves, but you dont listen to some very wise people like Iam who are steeped in relevant experience

Are you male or female?

It would help to understand "where you are coming from.

Are you looking at it from a personal stance, or a political one

(ie as a political stance it is recognisably a collection of right wing and anti women statements)

(as a personal one it appears to be an avoidance of revealing who you are, as opposed to drawing out others to reveal where they stand)

This comes across to me as a cruel sort of game playing, at least not really treating other posters with respect. Are you a long term poster who has changed their name?

And yes, I suspect posters will notice if you just try to turn it around on me - as opposed - to actually answering the questions

JohnnyMo Tue 26-Aug-25 23:25:21

Doodledog Tue 26-Aug-25 19:01:09
Do you have stats that show one in three DV victims is male, please? I do feel that this sounds rather high, and am more familiar with the Refuge figures, but even if you are right, two thirds are women, which is a large majority.

HM Government ONS crime statistics, which is probably the most reliable and unbiased source I know off. As you say that sounds high which is my point, the perception of domestic abuse by gender and the reality don't match.

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/domesticabuseprevalenceandvictimcharacteristicsappendixtables

Wyllow3 Tue 26-Aug-25 20:23:07

correct last sentence

Not that blame should not be laid, my goodness, it has to be big time, as without doing this there will not be change

Wyllow3 Tue 26-Aug-25 20:20:27

After I posted last, JohnnyMo here is exactly what happened.

I was posting on my mobile in a Costa. (and doing bits and bobs to get a break before going home to a rather chaotic house)

A man working on his computer next to me. - an expensive Apple - was wandering about talking to others, particularly the (Bame) business partner.

Anyway, I had been there for some time, and was ready to go, and was aware of this computer there unattended and not even being kept an eye on. So I went over and told him, and he was very friendly and said the Costa was like his 'home office".

Inevitably after popping to the loo I was curious, so I went over to ask what their business was.

*Posters, it was bang on topic here. He and the bloke with him were working together to help men who had gone through a breakdown trying to "Be a Man" and failing".

Because he had, and ended up desperate at the GP at last, driven to tell all

Their plans are techie based, all good stuff for its reach, by using Algorithms to offer help where its needed.

I said that was great but of course he knew 1 2 1 was important as an end result.

He pointed out two men sitting outside the Costa...this is the absolute truth

See those two

"The man on the right" (quite "male" - big build etc)

is going through a very bad time and is being helped by the other one

He agreed that Covid had a lot to do with it

I said that it was harder for men in some ways, because women tend to more naturally reach out for "natters".

I was interested enough so offered to help, if they wanted?.

We've swapped contacts, so that I can carry on being involved in this spread of "men being there for men" with that brief. Again, me bearing in mind, its not just my experience, but my experience as a woman.

I also raised Domestic Violence and men and again, as in my post above, it is part of the mix

After all, that is part of my lived expereince

And its part of my healing not to be intimidated by interaction with men anymore (I said that) and to check out that they were men not intimidated by intelligence and being articulate (who was a reason I was gaslighted by my ex).

Watch this space - I just see, all around me, that men can change, that there are current forces speeding the process, and its better and happier for men and women from all cultures to change the boundaries and learn from each other not set each other up to lay blame.

Not that blame should not be laid, my goodness, it has to be big time, as without doing this there will be change

Doodledog Tue 26-Aug-25 19:01:09

JohnnyMo

Message deleted by GNHQ

Iam will be very well aware of all kinds of DV, and is most unlikely to generalise at all, never mind say 'women are always the victim'.

Even if someone did feel that aspects of male-victim DV detract from the work done by women who have supported one another to prevent DV against women (eg men wanting to use women's refuges) I can't see how it could be seen as misogyny.

Do you have stats that show one in three DV victims is male, please? I do feel that this sounds rather high, and am more familiar with the Refuge figures, but even if you are right, two thirds are women, which is a large majority. Either way, it is important that any and all victims are treated sensitively and that perpetrators are identified and prevented from doing it again. FWIW, I am not at all disputing that male victims exist - I personally know two young men who have suffered at the hands of partners.

Nevertheless, a lot of the provision for women has, as has been pointed out, been provided by women, so of course there is more of a focus on female victims. What would you expect?

Doodledog Tue 26-Aug-25 18:41:05

Allira

Doodledog

Allira

I've got lost somewhere - what is the PP?

I donโ€™t know what you mean grin

A previous poster?

This, Doodledog:

MadameFeuveral asked
Why is the PP a nasty piece of work? confused

which I didn't understand - what or who is the PP?

Ah, I see. This thread is a bit confusing, but I see what you mean.

Wyllow3 Tue 26-Aug-25 18:15:18

JohnnyMo

your answer:

Inseparable.

By saying Mental Health I am using the terms in the broadest sense, that is, we all have different emotional and mental wellbeing or troubled states of mind.

(Specifically designated conditions are a subject aside and clearly not here)

I have answered this already.

The clue was in my description of the young men claiming PIP in my last post.
but emotional and mental degrees of well being which apply to everyone - you, me, other posters, our familiesโ€ฆhere and at large.

My key answering point being.

I described PIP claimants and the breadth of physical and emotional states causing such distress.

The same wide criteria can ce applied to both men and women when we look at those who are abusing or are abused. Clearly there is an emotional or mental problem.

Could you give some information about yourself as regards this, as questioning others but posters not knowing where you stand is limiting good responses?

JohnnyMo Tue 26-Aug-25 17:40:17

Wyllow3 -- Are we discussing mental health or domestic violence?

Wyllow3 Tue 26-Aug-25 17:27:32

JohnnyMo

All I can say Wyllow3, well before professionals get involved a man will seek help from friends. Also I had a bad experience with both Occupational Health and HR in this respect.

As a women if you turned to any women would sympathise, that is not the case for men.

You would not expect questions like "Can you see it from his view point" "Try to stop annoying him" "He is just being himself, accept it"

As I said I published my experiences twice on social media once clearly as a man and one gender neutral. The difference in response was very significant even though the narrative were identical.

My experiences were just over 5 years ago, unless you are saying there has been a radical shift in the last 5 years our experiences differ.

I would say yes, both on new initiatives to give men access to both formal and informal help:

has not just started in the last 5 years but is accelerating

Why?

A problem the government is trying to work on right now is

the large number of young men claiming PIP

(women too, but we are discussing men)

Those men are not only asking for help. The forms cover mental health needs as seriously as other disabilities:

but measures are of course in discussion as to Mental Health and Practical formal or informal support.

Just was walked out of Sainsbugs, I saw this poster: itโ€™s all over the place. I can also assure you with no shadow of doubt that people working in the MH, Social Work, and the best sort of teachers, recognise the special needs of young white men.

If you canโ€™t accept what I say to be a reflection of what is now happening,

Iโ€™d gently ask, are you just being deliberately perverse?

Or is someone you know, perhaps a younger man or one who has special needs and troubled

Is either refusing to admit there is help as what is inside feels โ€˜all too muchโ€™?

Or simply needs someone to direct them?

As a mature male whoโ€™s seen a lot of life, you could be that figure?

Galaxy Tue 26-Aug-25 17:01:29

I differentiate, my focus is women, it is why I am part of campaigns for services to remain single sex. It us absolutely fine for you to focus on the needs of men.

JohnnyMo Tue 26-Aug-25 16:53:46

The figures you ask the source of - womenโ€™s aid. guessed as much hardly unbiased

Refuge gives facts and statistics 93% of defendants in domestic abuse cases, 84% of victims are female. Given that 1 in 3 victims are men you see much needs to be done to treat all victims equally.

JohnnyMo Tue 26-Aug-25 16:47:47

Galaxy Tue 26-Aug-25 12:21:25
At the moment all I am trying to do is raise the profile so a man being abused does feel alone and isolated. Given the coverage in MSM most people assume male victim is far rarer than it really is, maybe 1 in 30 not 1 in 3.

Once the problem is discussed more than services will follow (I hope).

Thing have improved in the last few year but it is still a long way behind the provision for women. Recently saw a poster for Swindon Women Aid (?) which had a foot note explicitly stating we also help men suffering domestic abuse.

we fundraised, organised and staffed domestic violence services I don't know it that was you personally or just women in general. But if you want to help ALL victims of domestic abuse why differentiate ?

Finally fund raising for male charities is harder. Not sure why but look at the difference between Brest Cancer and Prostate Cancer also see
biggive.org/women-girls-match-fund/ but there isn't an equivalent week for men

Iam64 Tue 26-Aug-25 16:40:32

Iโ€™m surprised you are accusing me of being aggressive.

The figures you ask the source of - womenโ€™s aid.

Refuge gives facts and statistics 93% of defendants in domestic abuse cases, 84% of victims are female.

Of course men may be reluctant to report. So are women. They fear their children will be removed if they expose the extent of abuse theyโ€™re being subjected to.

JohnnyMo Tue 26-Aug-25 16:12:55

Iam64

Thanks Galaxy, I was about to make similar comments. In the late seventies, women in my town set up support for women being subject to Domestic abuse. We raised funds to open the first womenโ€™s refuge. We persuaded the Council Housing Department to help.

Some years ago, a local man set up a group for men overcoming violence. Heโ€™d been an abusive partner, got help and moved on.

Itโ€™s also u true to say services arenโ€™t responsive to the needs of male victims (any more than they sometimes are to women

To Iam64 You did respond very aggressively to my mention of male victim Domestic abuse, including mis quoting me.

You also quoted some statistic which massively under represented the problem. I did ask you for the source of those statistic which you have not provided.

As I said I have I have discussed domestic violence elsewhere on SM and find some women who aggressively defend the view that Domestic Violence can only be viewed by the prism of VAWG.

Nothing you have said since has changed my initial opinion.

escaped Tue 26-Aug-25 16:11:36

The PP refers back to Primrose. She made a post at 19.51 that was disliked by the other poster who is now presumably banned, (but who of course, may well appear again later with a new name!)

Allira Tue 26-Aug-25 14:57:55

Thanks foxie48 but that doesn't seem to what PP is in this instance.

Never mind, it's a confusing thread altogether!! I don't know who is talking to whom. ๐Ÿ™‚

Galaxy Tue 26-Aug-25 14:52:11

But it would be an odd thing to say pupil premium is a nasty piece of work, even if you disagreed with it.

foxie48 Tue 26-Aug-25 14:44:53

PP, pupil premium? an additional amount of money paid to a school in respect of a child who is on free school meals, it also includes children who have a parent in the military. The money does not have to be spent on the actual child but every state school has to write a report which explicitly describes how the money is being spent to improve the outcomes of disadvantaged children. It has replaced most of the additional funding for particular types of children eg those for whom English is a second language etc.

Allira Tue 26-Aug-25 13:29:17

Doodledog

Allira

I've got lost somewhere - what is the PP?

I donโ€™t know what you mean grin

A previous poster?

This, Doodledog:

MadameFeuveral asked
Why is the PP a nasty piece of work? confused

which I didn't understand - what or who is the PP?

Iam64 Tue 26-Aug-25 13:17:41

Thanks Galaxy, I was about to make similar comments. In the late seventies, women in my town set up support for women being subject to Domestic abuse. We raised funds to open the first womenโ€™s refuge. We persuaded the Council Housing Department to help.

Some years ago, a local man set up a group for men overcoming violence. Heโ€™d been an abusive partner, got help and moved on.

Itโ€™s also u true to say services arenโ€™t responsive to the needs of male victims (any more than they sometimes are to women

Iam64 Tue 26-Aug-25 13:14:06

those who respond to any mention of male victim with women are always the victim type response

This is the second time JohnnyMo has made assumptions about me, me motivations, my belief systems. Iโ€™ll respond in kind. My impression is that you are a rather angry, dissatisfied man who believes he knows so much more than the women heโ€™s mansplaining to.

Galaxy Tue 26-Aug-25 12:21:25

We do know her better than you, and her wealth of experience.
Perhaps it might be useful to follow the strategies used by women, we fundraised, organised and staffed domestic violence services ( and are currently having to rebuild those services but that's another story) it might be useful to look at how women did that in order to facilitate making those services for men.

JohnnyMo Tue 26-Aug-25 11:43:15

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.