How to Become a Male Feminist

The basic principle of feminism is rather simple: establish greater equality between human beings and end discrimination based on gender. Most people reserve this responsibility for women since they are the historically marginalized party, but this often fragments any productive discussion about large, structural change. If any progress is to be made, men must also learn that they have a role to play.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Realize that by identifying with “feminism” as an ideological system or mode of critique one will most likely be demonized or denigrated. This is unfortunate, but it is a reality of public perception. Counter this perception by remaining constructive, resilient, and well-informed in your discussions. Gender is largely socially constructed, so the biggest challenge is de-naturalizing this as a categorical system.
2. Gender discrimination is deeply ingrained within cultures. While a man will never know exactly what it means to be a woman, he can evaluate the way he and other male figures around him respond to different ideas of femininity. Even your closest friends might be operating with harmful or skewed perceptions of what constitutes gender equality and how it might be accomplished.
3. While things have gotten better for woman, the fact is that presumptions about gender still lead to large amounts of violence and persecution every day. One and four woman in America fall victim to rape. In Switzerland, a traditionally peaceful and highly civilized nation, women have only been able to vote since 1971. Feminism is as urgent today as ever, no matter what “wave” you claim to belong to.
4. Realize that feminism is not just about “out-smarting” someone in a debate (although this can be part of it) or making yourself feel better about your own values, it is also pragmatic methodology to promoting structural and emotional equality. Privilege is easy to take for granted, especially when you are born into it just by being a man.
5. Volunteer for local organizations, such as domestic abuse shelters or non-profit institutions that defend the rights of women. These are the places where gender discrimination becomes very real and palpable.
6. Remind yourself why it is important for anyone to have equal rights and access to productive modes of self-realization. It isn’t easy to work against the tide of history.