Ted Bunch, the activist, educator and co-founder of A CALL TO MEN, will be the keynote speaker at The Center for Family Justice’s first Speaking with Men breakfast on Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Bridgeport Holiday Inn. This breakfast is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of CFJ”s White Ribbon Task Force, a group of male community leaders engaged in the effort to break the cycles of domestic and sexual violence.
CFJ spoke with him about the importance of engaging men and boys in this movement. Bunch told us, “I’m excited about coming to your community and engaging with people at this important event.”
Here’s some of our chat:
CFJ: In light of the #MeToo movement, how critical is it that men be part of the conversation about ending domestic and sexual violence?
Ted Bunch: It’s vital. If women could have ended men’s violence they would have done it already. Men need to be part of the solution.
CFJ: What are some simple things men can do to show they are committed to being part of the solution and showing women they are allies in this effort?
Ted Bunch: We can listen to women and we can believe women. We can understand that as men we have been given a place of privilege and entitlement. We need to show a decency that women or girls –or those who don’t conform to gender norms — deserve to be heard and believed.
CFJ: These subjects can be a difficult to broach with children, particularly young boys. Do you have tips for parents and caregivers on how to talk about these issues in an age-appropriate way?
Ted Bunch: Yes! You can talk about women as equals. We want to raise our boys to see equality and equity for everyone as something that’s normal. You can show you care about these things by reading books written by women that are about women. You can avoid using language or talking about people in ways that perpetuate sexist stereotypes. We can encourage boys to talk about their emotions and normalize that. I think that, in particular, is really important.
Speaking with Men is sold out. For information about our White Ribbon Task Force or to learn more about how you can support The Center for Family Justice please contact Director of Education & Community Engagement Amanda Posila at APosila@CenterforFamilyJustice.org or Chief Development Officer Robert Hojnack at RHojnacki@CenterforFamilyJustice.org
