Can a man be a feminist?

Can a man be a feminist? Apparently so...

Brendan O'Neill's foreword to Ella Whelan's new book - What Women Want: Fun, Freedom and an End to Feminism

Given that one key part of the problem is men telling women what to do, it seems hard to believe a man could be more than a supporter. However, personally I do like to think men can be feminists, just not leaders of the movement. I guess it depends a bit on your definition of "feminist".

The very definition of feminism is equal rights for men and women. So, by not allowing a man to be a feminist, you cannot be a feminist yourself, and are just as sexist as those men you are trying to exclude.

I agree with myself from two years ago

Yes of course a man can be a feminist.

Yes.
Many feminists don't want this to be true,but it's essential. Those feminists tend to always want a fight.
Pankhurst actually married her already feminist husband, not the other way around.

Just like with race, if you say all white people are racist and can't be egalitarians or pro race equality..and it becomes true, you set back progress not enhance it.

I think it's damaging to exclude men, but there's also a paradox. If you believe in invisible and visible male power keeping women disadvantaged, then you are at the same time requiring men to be feminist to achieve the goals of feminism, because you need to change the views and/or behaviour of the power group to align with your own.

A feminist supports feminism. Which means someone who supports equal rights for everyone. So, in my definition, of course a male can be a feminist.

But surely men can be 'anti-sexist'.
In the same way as people can be anti-racist without belonging to an ethnic minority.
And then the real (and very interesting) question is - what is the difference between feminism and anti-sexism?

It's appropriation of womens liberation and entitled colonization of the marginalized for men to claim to be feminist.

Personally I believe that men and women are of equal worth and society should treat them as such. I am careful not to describe my self as a feminist because the term seems so broad with such alot of different perspectives under the flag of feminism. The definition of feminism is somewhat blurred.

I struggle with working out if being fair is total equality or giving an extra hand to artificially level the playing field. For example in terms of gender should all athletics events be mixed gender? This would be make things equal but would maybe also be unfair due to different physiology. It's a difficult one to me. I want a fair society all regardless of gender. I don't have all the answers so the best I can do is treat people as I wish to be treated with tollarance and respect and stand up to injustice. Whether that be male or female rights or any of injustice. This is also what I teach my children and try to set a good example.

The best dressed at the races, to me just is objectification the whole way and I don't support it. maybe some women would take part and say they were a fem, but really meaning they have the right to do what they want. That's very different from my perspective and doesn't makes a any sense. Objectification of both men and women is PANTS. Men are having mental issues becasue of this pressure put on them, bulimia, steriods etc. somethign as we all know used to be just in the female sphere.

SunshineOutdoors God thats so interesting I just added a post saying that my sociology lecturer did th ecomplete opposite. He started the lecture saying he WAS one! this was in the late 90's. Your story scares me, isn't that some of the problem, sayign that men can't support womens issues how ridiculous.

Equality! all the way x

I stand and support mens rights. Men do have there own issues especially with rights surrounding family. I support fathers for justice the whole way. My male partner also supports womens rights and why shouldn't he, just becasue he's not a women doesn't mean he doesn't see the issues and wnate to support. It's what you call a modern man isn't it. They are awesome men like this and I woudln't have had a family with a men that wasn't. He doesn't sound as passionate and can't talk at the same length as I do, which frankly is alot when it comes up but he gets it, supports it and is it. It's about individuals if women wnat to be seen as that you have to be prepared to see men like that.

Of course. Feminism mean equality for women. Hey, you can also be a feminist and support mens rights for equality x

PS I had a sociology lecturer stand up in front of 250 students and said "I am a feminist"

So do I Trills.

I agree with Trills' posts from Feb 2015.

Hello. I am not a expert in field but to me the first thing is that feminism to me is a big blanket term covering a whole spectrum of different perspectives. I talk a lot to a good friend of mine who is a professor and studies this field alot. She once listed off a whole load of different types of feminist. Many of them have very different views. So to me it's not as simple to say does feminism acept men can be feminist. Some flavors of feminism do some don't. Personally I see feminism as aiming for a level playing field for me and women. But I know talking to my friend there are lots of different feminist perspectives. Some of wich are very negative toward mens and seek same inequality in reverse. So I wouldn't ask if feminism thinks men can be feminist. That's like asking the whole of Christianity if it's OK the be Gay. You'll get some very differing views. I would say follow your own gut feelings. Do you think men can be feminist?

A feminist advocates the equal rights for participation in society of women. Don't they? Therefore this idea of you can only be a feminist if you are a woman seems a little off. If it is down to shared experience being a necessary part of that definition, then can I also say all of the white Europeans on here are racists? Of course not. I agree with the posters - it is much more about what you do than who you are.

As for why don't Men get equal say - well, because we already do, and have spent years stifling feminism. I wouldn't trust us either.

Men demanding to be involved in feminist groups, etc., is the opposite of feminist, so while a man might be able to call himself a feminist and actually be one, I'd be very wary of a man who demands "an equal say" in feminism when he already has more than his fair share of power in society at large.

My dh does not label himself as a feminist and neither of us are proactive feminists but I believe we live by feminist values. Our DD was not bought traditional homey style toys as a toddler such as dolls and pink ironing boards.
My dh is just very level headed and equal in his thinking. We have a DS now, my dh has never been interested in sport for example and diy is shared, so both DD and DS have been involved helping either parent with loading the dishwasher, tidying up, painting walls and putting together new furniture. We both mow the lawn depending on who has the time.
As I am writing this it sounds trivial but we have equally paid jobs, mum drops off and dad picks up and cooks during the week.
I know the thread may be looking into the deeper issues of feminism but some people just get on and live by the principles.

If feminism is about equal rights then why do men not have equal say? They should. Currently they have an over represented say.

This is really unnecessary over-thinking. Feminism's main goal is to remove the box of gender stereotypes. Saying, "You can't be -that- because you're a man/woman" is exactly what feminism is against. It's really not rocket science to figure it out, and there shouldn't be any doubt about it. Yes. Men can be feminists.