College Men in Feminist Groups. Alliances, Dividends and Discomforts Related to Masculinity Norms

Abstract Book of the 7th Global Conference on Women’s Studies

Year: 2025

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College Men in Feminist Groups. Alliances, Dividends and Discomforts Related to Masculinity Norms

Dr. Olivia Tena-Guerrero, Eréndira Selene Soto-Luna, Hugo Mora-Mora, Carlos Gabriel

ABSTRACT:

Male alliances documented by various studies in the global historical context of the struggle for equality between women and men date back to the 17th century, but it was not until the 1980s that exclusively male groups were formed that called themselves pro-feminist, anti sexist or anti-patriarchal. Today, in many countries there are compulsory subjects on gender equality in some university curricula that students take as part of their academic training, which coexist with feminist or gender research groups, made up mostly of women, which some young men join voluntarily with all that this implies in terms of confrontation with their own privileges and power dynamics. This article focuses on the possible allyship of such men with feminism. Throw personal biographical interviews we explore life trajectories of men with higher education completed at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in order to analyze possible resignifications of masculinity, as well as motivations, discomforts and dividends associated with their voluntary participation in feminist academic groups. Results are discussed in terms of their importance for outlining public policies that allow progress towards greater involvement of men in actions favouring gender equality.

Keywords: men; masculinities; feminist self-identification; privilege; biographical interviews