Just weeks after the UCSB shooting, Elliot Rodger’s misogynist / racist manifesto and his own behavior online that mimics the writing of MRAs, DoubleTree Detroit will be hosting the first ever “International Men’s Rights Conference.” Over the past few days I have been helping organize a protest against this conference to not only have it cancelled but to speak out publicly about the violence against women MRAs promote through their belief that the patriarchy doesn’t exist and reinforcing an ideology that directly harms women.

The group who is organizing this conference that’s happening at the end of June, A Voice for Men, has gone as far as to produce a letter from the DoubleTree that says the protest organizers have made threats against the hotel and its staff for planning this protest. This is not only illogical as UniteHere, the union who represents the employees of the hotel, will be present at the protest but I oppose violence toward any person regardless of ideological beliefs. As a frequent target of trolling, many of which are death threats, I refuse to support any political action that is threatening violence. I am also unwilling to support violence when the organizers themselves have been targeted by AVFM for being connected to this protest.



Furthermore, making threats against the hotel and its employees would be counterproductive to our mission as people in the service industry are more likely to be Women of Color already facing significant violence due to the intersections of race and gender. I believe the hotel is willfully putting their employees at risk by allowing a hate group use their hotel and has a pattern of hostile behavior toward women. To see the actions of AVFM specifically look here and here. As of now even the police have not been made aware of threats made to the hotel and its employees putting in question the authenticity of the letter. At the very least questioning the hotel’s own actions if someone has indeed threatened their staff’s lives.

If you are in the Detroit area PLEASE join us on Saturday to protest the hotel being complicit in the support of a hate group that promotes violence against women. We will be meeting at 10am in Grand Circus Park and marching down to the DoubleTree after we have numerous speakers, including myself, talk about why this event should not be allowed to take place.

If you are not in Detroit or cannot make it down on Saturday PLEASE take the time to tweet using the hashtag #NoMRA about why this event shouldn’t be allowed to happen, regardless of location, and tweet at the @DoubleTree. Sign the petition that already has over 2,500 signatures. You can call them to file a complaint at 1-855-610-8733 or email them using this form. Let them know by hosting a hate group and putting their employee’s lives at risk they won’t be getting your business.

As I stated above, the conference is not until the last weekend in June so please keep tweeting, calling and emailing to make sure this conference does not happen.



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