Male supremacy

“Why is it that many contemporary male thinkers, especially men of color, repudiate the imperialist legacy of Columbus but affirm dimensions of that legacy by their refusal to repudiate patriarchy?”- Bell Hooks

Last summer, while I did outreach for the organization I interned at, POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Rights), for a campaign against unfair transit policies and immigrant rights, I came across a day laborer who talked to me for about 5-10 minutes.

After I talked to him about the campaign he seemed to be really interested in the work that I was doing. With teary eyes he told me about his experience as an undocumented day laborer. “I’m tired and sick of this broken immigration system. I have been here for 30 years and I am still forced to live in the shadows” he said.

“But I am glad I have become more involved with the _________ Program. You should go talk to us one of these days!
I am so grateful that there are people like you in this world. Thank you for the work that you do.

For your information I am a macho! but I respect the work that you, women, are doing. I am a man, I have *****, I am proud of being a man but I really have to say that women are really steppin’ it up” he added later on.

and he kept on repeating the word “masculine” and “macho” over and over…