LaMar Going you raise some very good points here. I am not disagreeing with your hope that someday we will live in an world of equals.

But I am actually not asking for an individual that lives this way. I am asking for a SOCIETY that lives this way.

My apologies if my words offend. But here is what I see as the catch-22 of the enlightened man.

You think we are already there. And we aren’t. Not yet.

And in your self-recognition of the important work you are doing to raise strong daughters, you fail to see that other women, who were also raised to be strong and independent humans, are now facing a world where the powers that be are STILL doing their best to shut that down.

We are angry because our enlightened upbringing seems like we were sold a bill of goods. It’s very disappointing.

I don’t mean for my words to be hurtful.

I don’t WANT to come from a place of victim hood.

I think it’s fair for me to say that education, success, and self-actualization are ALL important things. Maybe I could have said, “men should focus more on what women think is important, and less on just what the old world calls success.”

I applaud the conscious, self-actualizing men like yourself who have already moved their experience into the new world.

But you STILL don’t seem able to see where I’m coming from, or why I feel betrayed by the uptick of power among the old guard of misogynists.

You STILL seem to take offense at my words, and ask me to adjust to your “better” way.

What I want is a whole world that thinks like you. Not just a few men.

I appreciate this conversation so much actually, because what I’m really trying to articulate is the fact that the transition from the old world to the new is still very young.

I see you. I see your evolution. I see your work.

I agree that we CAN create this better world. I just want for humans like you to appreciate my disappointment and anger at the fact that we are far from our destination. Still.

I want to be heard. And I want to work together towards solutions.

And I don’t want to be told that my way of seeing things offends you.

It’s really not personal, and I wish I could find a better way of explaining why I’m so angry.

I wish you could truly hear what I said, rather than trying to edit me to be more to your liking.

Does that make more sense?