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Volume No. 1 Issue No. 18
Rescue Men and Boys From Gender War

by: Dr. Emanuel Finn

Are our black men losing face? Should we supply free car bumper stickers to motorists with colorful slogans such as �SAVE OUR MALES�? The problem of lack of progress of young black men has become evident, not only in Dominica and the rest of the Caribbean, but also in Europe and North America.

Most social scientists and gender researchers will tell you that they are worried about this new Y-chromosome (males) crop.

Due to modern day dynamics and other more complicated issues, a frightening and alarmingly large percentage of our young men unfortunately are losing their way.

Invariably, there are more questions than answers to this disturbing trend. Predictably, the pendulum of cultural correction may have gone too far and now needs to come back towards center.

While we are aware that there needs to be a forum for exploring the broader strategies for the contribution of the Dominican diasporic arts community, we want to be practical and realistic. Musicians and artists are difficult to organize for a number of reasons, which we will not detail.

Therefore, our strategy is to begin with a project that is hands-on, product-oriented and fulfills a need in Dominica. Our hope is that this project will lead to broader collaborations among artists, business personnel, promoters, scholars, and educators, writers, and archivists, activists at home and abroad.

Girls and young women are winning; boys and young men are losing. The Y-chromosome crop desperately needs to be saved. The fact of the matter is that in recent years, girls and young women have moved ahead in every field and discipline except sports.

Today, a much larger percentage of women in our communities are thriving, happy, well adjusted and are making huge deserved strides. Increasingly, boys and young men have slipped (and are slipping) through the cracks. The societal costs of this time bomb will be monumental.

This trend should not only be of concern to law and policy makers, but also to parents with young daughters? How often have you heard a �sistah� say, �there are no eligible men, or in the dating game there are �slim pickings�?

Regardless of which side of the issue you fall on, it is fair to say that an alarmingly increasing number of our men have neglected some of their basic responsibilities.

The �sisterhood� and �motherhood� should not give up on the �brothers�, at least, not just yet. Our failures and weaknesses are also your failures. The task of getting our men �in line� belongs to all of us.

Despite it all, I find it exciting to reflect on the varied, interesting, exciting and controversial currents that swirl around the lives of women as they balance professional and family responsibilities, and look to the challenges and tasks that lie ahead.

It is unwise for anyone to conclude that increased successes of women could mean the disempowerment of their male counterparts. On the contrary, men should embrace, appreciate and encourage women more, and strive to be more of an integral part of their teams, personal and professional lives.

It is no fun to face these exciting and challenging times alone. Indeed, we need the �sistahs� to be on our side.

Volume No. 1 Issue No. 18
National Development Fund
Visit to Dominica
Mo and Mo on Music
Gender War
Making a Contribution
India in the West Indies

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