Men can have movements too...

In my gender communication class we have been learning about men's movements in recent history. When talking about sex movements in history, everyone naturally assumes they are speaking about feminist movements and all their familiar trappings, but oh, these men's movements are something ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.

Some of the movements were directed to oppose feminism, some were directed to help men become better fathers, husbands and communicators. My favorite, however, are the Mythopoetic Men.

Mythopoetic men were focused on what they believed to be two fundamental problems with modern "soft" men. First, the loss of the connection to the land, and second, the loss of connection to the father.

Mythopoetic men were after a concept called "communitas" with other men. Not quite a community, because they all went back to their "normal lives" after the meetings and retreats, but a feeling of togetherness, a maleness. Borrowing largely from Native American culture in their retreats, Mythopoetic men burned sage to create a ritual space, and participated in drumming and sweat lodges, for a few examples. One particular group of these men held a retreat where they split into three "clans". The Trout, the Ravens, and the Eagles. The final task of the retreat, for the men to truly come together and feel "spontaneous communitas" by correographing a dance to go with their clan name, to a drum beat.

I cannot relay in words how incredibly hilarious it was when my professor attempted to demonstrate the Trout Dance. There. are. no. words.

I love my major.