Identity politics is an ideology in which people are distinguished on the basis of broad characteristics. These characteristics often include gender, race, gender identity or sexuality. While identity politics often uses terminology such as diversity it is really talking about a coarse form of diversity and ignores important forms of diversity such as diversity of thought.
One of the greatest misunderstandings about the men’s rights movement and anti-feminism is that they in any way involve identity politics. Merely seeking to address the problems faced by a particular group does not imply acceptance or endorsement of identity politics. In contrast, Feminism is increasingly tied to identity politics and post modernism.
The Oxford Dictionary defines identity politics as:
A tendency for people of a particular religion, race, social background, etc., to form exclusive political alliances, moving away from traditional broad-based party politics.
Identity politics is inherently exclusionary even as it uses the language of inclusion.
A Voice for Men accepts anyone who wants to help regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or any other characteristic they might have. Anyone who wants to help MRAs address the problems facing men and boys is welcome. In contrast many feminist groups exclude men from leadership roles and some exclude men entirely – calling them allies. Some don’t even want male allies. That’s identity politics.
A Voice for Men rejects identity politics.
