Male Feminists

Overview

Several areas of interest claim the attention of male feminists. However, there are also some significant omissions, which indicate tensions between feminists, men, and the choice of a strategy. Although it is dangerous to make any generalizations about such a diverse and widespread group, it is observable that those who consider themselves male feminists (and actually use this label) tend to support more conservative stances within the feminist movement. Therefore, the central focus is often sex exploitation: pornography and violence and ways of stopping it, for example, by education. First, male feminists believe that to stop male hegemony in the real world, its symbolic underpinnings must be challenged. That is why they pay so much attention to pornography, understood as role setting for all other sources and ways of male domination over women. It is believed that women are being subjugated and physically and emotionally exploited by pornography. The abuse of women that is produced by and for men serves their need for power in a symbolic dimension. Moreover, the negative character of pornography has a direct impact on everyday lives; it serves as a modeling space for boys and men to learn the engendered power hierarchies of patriarchal societies.

Second, male feminists want to challenge the violence being done to women from a more practical aspect: They bring atttention to domestic violence. They insist on strict legal regulations and law enforcement and greater support for victims. Also as a link between antiviolence activities and education, male feminists choose didactic projects and social campaigns addressed to young men as the field of occupation. The underlying reason is that the most efficient way of acting upon the violence is not to tackle the outcomes (although that is important as well), but to work on attitudes and to shape them in a way that men will become more aware of gender hierarchies in the culture and will avoid getting involved in them. Male feminists thus organize workshops during which they [Page 501]teach boys about the wide spectrum of behaviors available to young people that can help constitute their male identities without an underlying sexist and homophobic agenda. Another example of the educational devotion of male feminists is their public advocating of women's rights. In this case, they serve as an example that feminism is not only by and for women (as the popular stereotype implies). By attending public gatherings, they prove the openness of the movement and the importance of male commitment to feminism. Moreover, male feminists advocate the pro-choice stand on female birth control, firmly supporting the right to abortion and artificial insemination. The attention paid to education has also influenced scholarly work at an academic level and helped to develop men's studies in a way that is parallel to women's studies.

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