Men's liberation movement

See also: Men's movement and Gender role

The consciousness and philosophy of men's liberation is split into two factions. One is critical of the restraints which a patriarchal society imposes on men. This faction is informed by feminism. The other, critical of the restraints matriarchal society imposes on men, is informed by masculinism. The set of beliefs proposed by feminism and masculinism form a backdrop for each of these liberation movements.

Men's liberation from patriarchy

This liberation theory holds that men are hurt by the male gender role and patriarchy and that men's lives are alienating, unhealthy and impoverished.

They are often sympathetic to feminism and seek to emancipate men in the same manner by which women continue to seek liberation through the feminist movement.

They believe that men are overworked, trained to kill or be killed, brutalized and subjected to blame and shame. They give attention to the damage, isolation and suffering inflicted on boys and men through their socialization into manhood.

Men's liberation from matriarchy

This alternative thesis holds that men are hurt by gender roles and the cultural, moral, and legal mores associated by matriarchy. It points to double standards with regard to military draft, a family sphere in which male-providership is both demanded and marginalised, and institutionalised misandry.

It argues that the expectations which a feminist or matriarchal society places upon men are unfair to men.

This liberation theory is antipathetic to feminism, and informs itself instead by masculist thought.

It advocates a consciousness change in the mass man where he transgresses matriarchal standards, expectations and status quos.

Men's liberation's engagement with race

Racial differences have historically stratified the men’s liberation movement and such divisions still remain problematic today. Some profeminist scholars argue that racism within American society has emasculated non-white men. For example, black men are perceived to lack control over their innate sexual aggression. Within this ideological framework black men are presented as hyper-sexual to an animalistic degree; they therefore represent beasts, not men. Asian-Americans have been emasculated in an opposite way: they have been portrayed as desexualized, unattractive, small, wimpy, intelligent, and devious. (See: Stereotypes of Asian Men)

Men's liberation's engagement with gay liberation

Second-wave pro-feminism paid increased attention to issues of sexuality, particularly the relationship between homosexual men and hegemonic masculinity. This shift led to more cooperation between the men's liberation and Gay Liberation movements. In part this cooperation arose because masculinity was then understood to be a social construction, and as a response to the universalization of ‘men’ seen in previous men’s movements. This allowed for the men’s liberation movement to analyze the conditions under which society becomes less tolerant of homosexuality.

Profeminist writers have identified several hypotheses for explaining the origin of homophobia. These hypotheses rely on the idea that gender is a binary system where deviation from either gender norm is viewed as socially unacceptable. Such a system is argued to lead to heterosexism, as a way of preserving the binary division.

Activities

• Men's support groups
• Public advocacy and law reform.

See also

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