Heterosexual Men and Feminism

Feminists have been advocating and working for the rights of girls and women for several centuries. For example, Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797) wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women, considered by many historians to be one of the first unambiguously feminist writings. Since Wollstonecraft’s time, men have joined women in advocating for gender egalitarianism and other feminist goals. This entry provides a brief overview of men and feminism, a description of some of the organizations started by men that promote feminism, and a discussion of both the willingness and sometimes reluctance of men to adopt a feminist label. The focus of this information is on feminist men in Western countries, such as the United States and the countries in western Europe.