The Bro Code: How Contemporary Culture Creates Sexist Men (Extended Preview)

http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=246

In MEF's powerful new release, The Bro Code, filmmaker Thomas Keith takes aim at the forces in male culture that condition boys and men to dehumanize and disrespect women. Keith breaks down a range of contemporary media forms that are saturated with sexism -- movies and music videos that glamorize misogyny; pornography that trades in the brutalization of women; comedy routines that make fun of sexual assault; and a slate of men's magazines and cable TV shows whose sole purpose is to revel in reactionary myths of American manhood. The message he uncovers in virtually every corner of our entertainment culture is clear: It's not only normal -- but cool -- for boys and men to control and humiliate women. By showing how there's nothing natural or inevitable about this mentality, and by setting it against the terrible reality of men's violence against women in the real world, The Bro Code challenges young people to step up and fight back against the idea that being a real man means disrespecting women.

Featuring interviews with Michael Kimmel, Robert Jensen, Shira Tarrant, J.W. Wiley, Douglas Rushkoff, Eric Anderson, and Neal King.

DR. THOMAS KEITH | Director, Writer, Producer
Dr. Thomas Keith teaches philosophy at California State University, Long Beach and California Polytechnic University. He specializes in American philosophy and pragmatism with an emphasis on issues of race, class, and gender. In 2008, Dr. Keith directed and produced the bestselling film, Generation M: Misogyny in Media & Culture, which is used in classrooms around the world.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• MEF
• sut jhally
• tom keith
• gender
• sexuality
• sexism
• violence
• bro code
• media education foundation
• documentary

[DigitalDezinesCEO]

WOW. This short clip a lone speaks volumes. It also is not without controversy. The clip has only been up a short while and critics have already started commenting. But I won't waste anymore time about them. I think that it is necessary to counter all sexist propaganda with something that will enlighten men and women. Of course It is not easy to change the mindsets of people but It can be done. BTW, I AM MALE. I have no problem speaking out against the treatment of women in our society.

[Magicbus373]

(continued) 1/6 women are victims of attempted or completed rape. There's a pretty good chance you know one of them, and the fact that people think one of the most traumatic events of their life is fodder for jokes on shows like family guy... yeah, I'm pretty sure they're not going to see the humor in that, so who's side are you really on when you laugh at or defend rape jokes? It sure isn't on the survivor's side.

[38dragoon38]

Welcome to the world of capitalism - where everything (including your ass) is for sale.

[cannedkitty]

its not that being considerate gets you called a pussy or a bitch. its that using "bitch" and "pussy" also insults women. get a grip assholes

[VegitoVai90]

@y100269

I have no idea what retarded store you're getting those t-shirts from, because I've never seen that where I live. As for shoes - you and I both know that the average woman buys at least two or three times as many shoes as most men. Again, demand increases, price increases.

[y100269]

@VegitoVai90 whatever, if i see that the women's shoes (for work) cost more, i just go to the men's section and buy those ones. i also see that plain white t-shirts for women are $15 and the men's, which are bigger, are only $5. so i bought the "men's" t-shirt, even though they were from the same company and looked exactly alike. i'm not comparing fancy stuff here. but i can't fit into men's pants, so i have to pay double for plain jeans.

[FreindlyRanger]

@Magicbus373 Yeah, fair enough, I understand you. We won't agree on the 'grey area' but I think we can agree in principle.

[Magicbus373]

@FreindlyRanger continued It's hard to ignore humor when you feel like it's mocking something serious that happened to you / a very important part of your identity. I'm not anti-comedy, as I stated, I love comedy, but I can't see any context in which something like a rape joke could be funny. If a show's whole schtick is that it's offensive, that's just terrible and lazy writing. Anyone can be offensive. It's not hard.

[Magicbus373]

@FreindlyRanger Well, I do ignore stuff that's offensive to me. To me the best kind of comedy is the kind that talks about the human existence (early simpsons is good with that), and yeah that's going to include some talk about race, gender, class, etc. Some jokes whole purpose is to be offensive and because it's comedy, nobody has to take it seriously. That's why I hate Family Guy. There's no substance. It's just like a free for all of how many offensive things they can fit in 1 episode

[FreindlyRanger]

@FreindlyRanger The Simpsons and others regularly have 'anti' Irish jokes, some people are really offended by this, I see them for what they are, jokes. (I know that some things are more serious than others, but I think you'll understand the point). Purposely moving into areas such as the Holocaust, when it is mostly comedy taboo, can be funny, but I think the intention is the most important consideration in humour. Comedy Roasts are a perfect example, vicious but affectionate.

[FreindlyRanger]

@Magicbus373 Well then does that mean we shouldn't have any jokes because somebody is always offended and there will always be the 'real' racists/sexists/whateverists who you claim will try to 'pass off' stuff? Maybe if we learn to recognise humour for what it is and ignore the ones we don't like or find offensive rather than giving them the oxygen of publicity or pasting 'racism' or 'sexism' onto those who are neither but, rather, just like 'anti-PC' jokes. cont...

[Magicbus373]

@FreindlyRanger Except, then you get real bigots trying to pass off their racism as humor. I get what you're saying, but not everyone pulls off jokes about race very well (I think George Carlin, Louis CK, Dave Chapelle, and Zach Galifianakis do a pretty good job). I don't think shows like family guy do a very good job at it because their aim is to be anti-pc (offensive humor). Being “anti-PC” is not sticking it to the Man, it’s sticking it to all the people whom the Man routinely stomps on.