Men and the Women's Movement

Among the various stances men have taken on feminism and the empowerment of women throughout history, from backlash movements to support for the feminist movement, one group of men refers to themselves as “pro-feminist, gay-affirmative, anti-racist, enhancing men’s lives.” The National Organization for Men Against Sexism began as a spontaneous social movement in the 1970s. In 1975, a group of men enrolled in a women’s studies course at the University of Tennessee held a pro-feminism conference that they coined the First National Conference of Men and Masculinity. Over the next five years, the conference continued annually in various cities across the country. The national organization was soon created, and the annual conferences have continued. The group is made of both male and female members working together within the principles of the organization that include equality between men and women in the workforce, challenging old-fashioned rules on masculinity, opposition of injustices to women, call for an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation, challenging racism and oppression based on class, age, religion, and physical condition.

Although, the organization opposes discrimination in many forms, its roots are pro-feminist. In the article Roles of Men with Feminism and Feminist Theory, NOMAS member Brian Klocke discusses the role men should take in the feminist movement. Klocke emphasizes the importance of men taking part in the moving, saying that “men must be part of the struggle.” He even goes so far as to say that men should shoulder more of the responsibility because of their role in the oppression of women. However, perhaps surprising in relation to these arguments, Klocke asserts that men cannot be feminists in the strict sense. He contends that to be a feminist, one must be targeted and oppressed; in other words, one must be a woman. Men, Klocke maintains, cannot remove themselves from “their power and privilege in relation to women.” Men can, however, be pro-feminists, like the men of NOMAS. Klocke goes on to discuss the negative effects sexism has, and feminism opposes, on both men and women, as an argument in support of male pro-feminists. He discusses how various authors and groups have defined the male role in the feminist movement and argues that men should reflect and challenge themselves to end patriarchy.

NOMAS places itself in opposition to other modern men’s movements, including the men’s rights movement of Second Wave Feminism, and the recent Promise Keepers movement of Christian men. To me, this organization stood out among men’s groups that oppose feminism, men’s groups that support men’s rights over feminism, and men’s groups that ignore feminism. The members of NOMAS refer to themselves not as feminists, but pro-feminist, as well as “gay affirmative” and “anti-racist”, both causes in which feminists have often been involved.

http://www.nomas.org/node/122

http://www.nomas.org/history