Somewhere between a bad date and a group chat rant, “all men” quietly becomes a category.
All men are bad at cleaning.
All men are bad at texting.
All men are messy and unclean.
All men don’t listen.
“All men” is primarily used to highlight gender-based violence or patriarchal structures.
But here’s the actual truth:
Not all men are bad, some men are.
Not all men are abusive, some men are.
Not all men are unclean, some men are messy.
We say “all men” because of our personal experiences with certain men in our lives. We say it. We know it. And yet, we still say it.
And if we’re being honest, “all men” is almost always followed by something negative.
But supportive, respectful, and trustworthy men exist more than we sometimes acknowledge. Kind men. Hardworking men. Men who genuinely root for women. Men who support women’s independence and individuality.
At the same time, yes, there are men who are mean, dismissive, or treat women poorly. There are also men who appear respectful on the surface but still carry limiting beliefs about women.
Both can be true.
There are great men everywhere.
But when we say, “all men don’t…,” we quietly ignore the ones who do. And that deserves a small correction.
So next time you’re about to say “all men,” pause for a second. Not all men are the same and maybe it’s worth leaving a little room beyond our own experiences.
Signing out,
Sana