If you could build the perfect feminist bloke from existing fictional characters ...

How about Jude from Jude the Obscure? Sees Sue as his intellectual equal, doesn't conform to society's norms about marriage, marries gobby Arabella...he's not perfect though, that bit where he slates Arabella's hair for being fake winds me up something cruel.

This is a bit out there, but bear with...

Mr Darcy.

Lizzie rejects him in no uncertain terms, spelling out exactly why.

Instead of going on the defensive and automatically rejecting her take on it, he goes away, realizes how right she is, and endeavors to become a much more reasonable, likeable person. He also does much of it 'behind the scenes', rather than in a 'look at me, aren't I just fabulous' sort of way.

He totally respects her for not kowtowing to him, and has no respect for the likes of Miss Bingley who's forever fawning over him.

I'm not saying he's perfect, but given the era, he's not all bad either.

The bit that put me off Gilbert Blythe was in one of the very late books where Anne's just seen off an old rival (Christine?) and in the reconciliation he and Anne had, he goes on about how fat Christine had got and 'you were never fat Anne dear' or something of that sort. Even allowing for the time the book was written, that grated on me.

Can I put in a vote for a number of Terry Pratchett types? Carrot, whose partner is a werewolf. Rincewind, who is only interested in if people are trying to kill him, regardless of gender. Lord Vetinari, who has a long running and deeply emotional chess game running with a vampire. Twoflower, whose beloved wife has died and whose daughter is running the revolution.

They all have their flaws but not a bad bunch.

I also think if you extract the awful fucking around he does (and the dumb protector nonsense), breaking people's hearts, Logan from Veronica Mars has feminist qualities. He does waiver horribly but essentially (and you did say build a feminist man) he understands that Veronica is stronger, cleverer and more determined than him and loves her for it. For that matter, her best friend Wallace is a great ally.

Mr Knightley in Emma? Refuses to take the piss out of the socially/financially less well off, of either gender, not because he's being a gent but because he thinks they don't deserve it and has a go at Emma because she's being as twat not because she's a woman, he seems to respect her intelligence and that's mostly why he's so cheesed off.

Yes to Will in 'His Dark Materials'. Bit young though.

Count Fosco in 'The Woman in White' because he absolutely respects Marian as an equal adversary. Pity about the whole criminal mastermind side to his character of course.

Thomas Cromwell in 'Wolf Hall' for educating his daughters.

Hmm. It kills me to say it but I can't really think of many Star Trek men being actively feminist. Apart perhaps from Worf? Are Klingons inherently less patriarchal because they see their both male and female Klingons as warriors? And Worf 'let's go' of Dax when Jadzia dies, becomes Ezra and falls for Bashir...!

Tom Paris also helps B'Ellana come to accept both parts of herself (Klingon and human).

John Sheppard in Stargate Atlantis is a good ally too, apart from going all uber protective when Teyla is pregnant. Indeed Stargate Atlantis is a fun scifi show to watch with a feminist eye. Yay for Teyla going back to work saving the galaxy after having a baby!

Joe Dubois from Medium, with a dash of Charlie Parker (John Connolly).

Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap!

Can't think of any instance of him being anti feminist.

He always supports the 'women libbers' he meets.

Trice - can we share? (But only the older one clearly).

Can I have Montalbano? He is happy that Livia has a high powered job. He is with her through her infertility and adoption struggle. All the women are allowed to shag about as much as the men in the books without having to be punished for it.

Hmm, Hermione says that about herself though, the book smart thing.... Though the Patronus in the Wizengamot was needless, I agree.

It's bollocks about the book smart anyway, Hermione knows loads of useful and life saving spells that aren't necessarily DAtDA ones.

Shall we settle for him being more feminist than the average teen boy protagonist?

Harry Potter is def feminist - has no problem with being outsmarted by a woman and is capable of being friends with a woman without seeing her as a sex object. (Why I settle for Ron is another mystery altogether)

Will in the dark materials trilogy

Has nobody seen Parks and Recreation? Surely a huge portion of this feminist man would be made up of Ben Wyatt! (I do love him quite a lot, so I'm slightly outraged)

I opened this thread to say exactly this! Ben is my TV Husband

The Andy / April relationship is quite beautiful too...of course, he was an arse at the beginning of the series when he was with Ann, but the writers reinvented him quite a bit after that. At the end he's willing to give up his dream job so April can pursue hers. That's pretty good.

In many ways the absolute antithesis of a feminist ally, I loved the way Mick Carter in Eastenders (Danny Dyer - I know, I know) responded to his wife's rape. He didn't doubt her for a second, although many others did. That's just one facet to his character, but I think he showed real strength and understanding when she told him.
Also, DH says a lot of Star Trek characters are feminist allies eg Chakotay (I don't watch it because it's for boys - JOKING )

Atticus Finch? Struggling to recall as it's be years since I read the book

Albus Dumbledore

Whatshisface from little women. The 'poor professor'? He didnt appear to feel Jo should be held back because she was female (admittedly I've only read the first book, which he wasnt in, and basing this on the film!)

Oh God yeah, George Cooper - so preferable to Jon! He just supports her doesn't he? To be who she is.

Why should it be Hermione's book? Confused, but I don't want to derail.

Also, continuing the Tamora Pierce theme, Raoul and Neal from the Protector of the Small quartet.

George Cooper from The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce (YA fantasy).

He's the only one of Alannah's lovers to accept her for exactly who she is. Jon wants her to wear more dresses and Liam prefers her to be solely a fighter, whereas George just loves her for her and doesn't try to restrict her in any way.

Has nobody seen Parks and Recreation? Surely a huge portion of this feminist man would be made up of Ben Wyatt! (I do love him quite a lot, so I'm slightly outraged )