Can Men Be Feminists?

Standpoint theory argue that everything a person may say or write is based on their background, gender and ethnic origins. With this in mind, a man will always write from a male perspective, even if it is not directly related to the subject of that which he is writing. The means that any articles written about feminism written by a male will have a male standpoint. This creates a definite opposition between the male and female standpoints as the male will always (even unbeknownst to himself in some cases) try to keep his higher ground in society. Stephen Heath, a male author writes “no matter how “sincere,” “sympathetic” or whatever, we are always also in a male position which brings with it all the implications of domination and appropriation, everything precisely that is being challenged, that has to be altered,” (1).

Linda R. Williams, writes a short article in which she questions the role of the male in feminism and what their reasons are for calling themselves feminists, if they do. “So how are we to read a man who says that he is a feminist? Is this an example of patriarchy appropriating the strengths of feminism in order to diffuse its radical implications, in order to contain it or make it answer to a masculine framework?”(64). Heath refers to the masculinisation of feminism as well, “the risk of men's relation to feminism is that it stay a male affair, an argument round women that masks again its male stakes, that refuses again as women are projected back into the safeguard of our identity the real problem,”(5). Here in both these arguments lie the fear that if men are able to be feminists, that the male identity will again take over the female identity of feminism.

Because a man is not female, he does not have the same experiences, the same perspective in life or the same opportunities as a woman. A man may believe in equal rights for a woman, but I believe he cannot be a feminist. Rather, he may chose to be pro-feminist. The difference between these is that a post-feminist does not take up the position of the feminist, instead, he aims to help her achieve equality, but because he is not a woman he cannot fully take up the same position that she is in. The 'Men for Change' group aims to educate and inform young males on the merits of male-female equality and to raise awareness for issues like rape and battery. Their website states “it is inappropriate for men to call ourselves “feminists”. This argument takes a variety of forms, including the following: Feminism is a movement and a body of ideas developed by for and about women. Men can never fully know what it is like to be a woman.” Again, this takes up the standpoint argument, an essential part of feminism, that men cannot think, write or speak from a female standpoint.

Heath, in his writing, says that “feminism is also a subject for men, what it is about obviously concerns them; they have to learn to make it their affair, to carry it through into their lives,”(8-9). This is demonstrated in the ideology of the 'Men for Change' group. They do not call themselves feminists, but are thoroughly aware of their own work for feminism and the good that it will do in the long run. “This is, I believe, the most any man can do today: to learn and so to try to write or to talk or act in response to feminism,”(Flood). This should not be done in a way that relies on the old patriarchal, oppressive systems or it loses its meaning. The texts by Stephen Heath are interesting foremost because they are written by a man. On the one hand this gives it more credibility, because it is man that needs to decide his own opinions and point of view on feminism. Feminists can hardly tell a man what his responsibilities are in regards to the fight for equality. He needs to learn so by himself. This is why the “Men for Change” group is good; a woman cannot from experience tell the man what he must do to change the way he thinks. This is essentially the reason why it is the mother who tells that daughter what happens when she reaches puberty.

On the other hand, it is women who are deciding the feminist discourses and in many ways that makes her reasonably qualified to argue why men should take up a particular position in a woman's fight for equality. Equality can only be achieved when men and women work together. In this way women should be a part of the way that men write about feminism and how they can create equality. Alice Jardine writes a brief summary of what Stephen Heath tries to say in his article, “Heath wants men to learn from feminism, to try to be as feminist as possible. He, too, argues against essentialism, and against male writers who would not leave us our space, while worrying about their place.” She then delves in to the complexities of terms like “feminist men” and “male feminism”. She asks “Is this but and exercise in oxymorons? Or perhaps a promising utopian vision?”(59). This clearly demonstrates her opinions on men and feminism. She suggests that being male and being feminist are mutually exclusive, or at least, for now. She hints, with the second question she poses at the possibility that in a distant future, if everything has worked out and a utopian world exists, that then the man can be a feminist. But she writes this cynically, suggesting that although there is a chance of this happening, that it is too small for it to be truly feasible. There is always room for analysis into this topic, and as we have seen in history, prevalent ideas change to make way for a different way of thinking. Perhaps this too will pass.