Men may joke around more about their appearance, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to body image issues. Ever since my niece was born seven years ago, I’ve worried about what will happen when another girl teases her about some aspect of her appearance. The way I see it, there’s no chance that it won’t happen; by […]
A much-needed men’s revolution will first require a re-imagining of our social structure, says Lynn Beisner. One afternoon, I was in our university’s library, struggling to read Chaucer in the original Old English. A book on a nearby shelf caught my eye, and out of curiosity and a desperation to avoid any more of the […]
Are men more likely to be harsh critics, and point out flaws in order to fix them? After having worked in restaurants and writing about them occasionally, I consider myself a fairly discerning diner. I don’t turn up my nose at an unfortunate choice in cutlery, but I have certain expectations for food and service, […]
This originally appeared on The American Prospect. Republished here with permission. The women’s movement isn’t the enemy of men, like Venker believes; instead, it can serve as inspiration for a new generation of men who wish to rewrite masculinity. The “war on men” article on the Fox News website, which—spoiler alert!—blames women for ruining modern men, has been snaking […]
Why is it OK for men to poke fun of each other’s physical flaws? I take off my pants, belt still attached, and throw them hard to the ground like I’m spiking a football. “Don’t you oppress me pants!” I yell at the discarded Wrangler’s jeans. I scold the leg sleeves as they lay haphazard, […]
When antiquated gender roles no longer fit the family dynamic, someone’s got to break tradition. Of all the holidays that I bemoan, Thanksgiving is the one in which I play my Pick Your Battles card and allow myself to enjoy without too much inner turmoil. In spite of the holiday’s history, for me it prevails […]
Sarah Laing’s partner is every bit a feminist, but he’s reluctant to use such a label. She explains why. My partner and I rarely speak about gender. This in itself is unremarkable, except that I’ve just finished a post-graduate degree in Women’s Studies, I’m researching women’s history for my doctorate, and I talk about gender […]
Is it possible to prefer dating people of a certain ethnicity without making assumptions of an entire race? For all the good value that comes with friendship, perhaps the most dubious quality is comfort. Someone who won’t judge you when you need to lean on them during difficult times, a companion who will have dinner […]
This originally appeared on The Good Men Project. Republished here with permission. JD Roberto wishes he could avoid sending his 5-year-old son mixed messages about his sexuality. The most hands-on, intimate, and enduring relationship in a man’s life is the one he has with his penis. Yes, ladies, you might be tired of hearing about our […]
Bringing an end to online bullying means understanding that cyber-predators are as much exhibitionists as they are voyeurs, says Hugo Schwyzer. It’s been a bad month for online bullies. The exposure of Violentacrez, (“the biggest troll on the web”) and the successful hunt for the man who hounded young Amanda Todd to suicide have made […]
Writing about—and recognizing—privilege can be productive, says Patrick McNeil. I went through a Women’s Studies graduate program. And I’m a man. And this is difficult for some people to conceptualize. That there is a place at all for men in feminism is difficult for some people, too. On a post I recently published on Feministe, […]
This originally appeared on The Good Men Project. Republished here with permission. Telling men to act “like a man” isn’t doing anybody any favors. So stop. When I was a boy, I remember hearing “Walk Like a Man,” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, on the regular rotation of my parents’ radio. I wasn’t alive when […]
