The Rhetorical Shaping of Gender: Men’s Movement in the United States

By Jenae Elizalde

Different Men’s Movements Profeminist Father’s Rights Masculinist

Profeminist Men’s Movement A Profeminist refers

to a male feminist Believes men and

women are alike in most ways

supports women’s battle for equal treatment in society

Profeminist Men’s Movement

Many male feminist feel that social expectations of masculinity force them to repress their feelings.

NOMAS- National Organization for Men Against Sexism

White Ribbon Campaign- WRC

NOMAS

Condemns most conventional masculine qualities such as aggression, violence, and emotional insensitivity.

Holds an annual conference

www.nomas.org/

White Ribbon Campaign-WRC

Formed in 1991 Is now the largest

men’s antiviolence group in the world

www.whiteribbon.ca/

Mentors in Violence Protection

Jackson Katz one of the leaders in men’s efforts to end male violence

Has developed an approach to reducing male violence

Gives workshops all over the world Trains men in mentoring other men to reject

men’s violence

Mentors in Violence Protection

Educates men about socialization that links masculinity to aggression and violence

Motivates men to reject violence in themselves and other men

Father’s Rights Group

Are angry and hurt that men don’t have at least 50% custody of their children

after divorce. Father’s 4 Justice American Coalition for Fathers Fathers and Families Etc.

Father’s 4 Justice Highest father’s rights group in

England. Two strategies to raise public

awareness about custody rights of separated and

divorced fathers. First strategy is to perform dramatic

stunts that can attract publicity. Second strategy is humor that is

usually used within the stunts.

Masculinist Men’s Movement

Masculinist or promasculinist men, believe men suffer from discrimination because of their sex.

They feel that men need to reclaim their manliness.

main historical strategy of masculinist is to verbally disparage men who define themselves as feminist or who believe that women are entitled to same rights as men.

The Men’s Rights Movement

Most conservative branches of men’s movements- men’s right activists.

Goal is to restore traditional roles of men and women

Men’s Right Inc. National Coalition for Free Men NOM- National Organization of Men Free Men

The Men’s Rights Movement

Mythopoetic Men Promise Keepers Million Man March

Free Men One of the more extreme men’s rights

group Aims to restore men’s pride in being

“real men” “Real Men” mean men who fit

traditional macho men stereotype- tough, rugged,

invulnerable, and self reliant

Mythopoetic Men Want men to rediscover their roots of

masculine thinking and feelings. Argue that the traditional masculine

ideal was positive. Men need to reclaim courage and

aggression

Promise Keepers View reconnection to God’s

commandments as the path Based on Evangelical Christianity Value strong families and communities Most are white and middle- or upper-class

Million Man March Occurred in Washington DC October

16, 1995 Movement for African American men

to: Register to vote Fight drugs Recommit themselves to kids and families Stand against unemployment Violence

Not a one time event

Million Man March Model for Other Groups

Million Woman March Million Youth March Million Mom March Million Family March Million More Movement

most recent October 2005

Men’s Movements There are more than one type of men’s

movements Ranging from profeminist men’s

movements to masculinist men’s movements

Not all men are the same nor do they see things the same

Each organization has come together for a cause that they wish to influence

Reference Wood, J.T. (2009). Gendered lives:

Communication, gender, and culture (8th ed.). Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.