Why a Focus on Men & Masculinity?
We need this work now more than ever.
Men and boys are beautiful, full-spectrum human beings. But in societies around the world, men and boys are often taught that to “be a man,” they must act in ways that limit their true self-expression, and that can foster harm to themselves and others. Social norms often say that men should be emotionally and physically tough, not show vulnerability, be heterosexual, have lots of women, have power over one’s partner, be financially successful, and so on. We’re seeing some of this in full, toxic force right now with the notable expansion of white supremacy and extremism in the USA right now.
Research around the world has found that rigid or dominant views about masculinity are linked in men with problems such as homophobia, transphobia, violence against people of all genders, substance abuse, risky driving, risky sexual behavior, less participation in child care and housework, and less support for gender equality. Men who believe they should be stoic and tough are also less likely to seek care for their physical and mental health needs. In the U.S. and around the world, men die years earlier than women of similar backgrounds, largely due to their higher rates of risky behaviors and lower rates of health-protective behaviors – which are often linked with how they show their masculinity. Men’s enactment of masculinity is also simultaneously shaped by other identities they hold, like their race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.
Overall, boys and men often feel pressured to take risks or set aside parts of themselves to try to fit into unrealistic boxes of social expectation which almost no one actually fits into! And when people (of all genders) who buy into harmful gender norms hold powerful positions in institutions, patriarchy, gender inequality and the marginalization of LGBTQIA+ and other groups become entrenched in social structures. The personal and the political are deeply linked.
Given all of this, it’s essential that we create a critical mass of ongoing, public forums, far and wide, where we can collectively discuss the costs of dominant masculinity norms, celebrate men’s fundamental beauty and humanity, and uplift healthy masculinities – in locally-led, locally-relevant ways. We need thousands of local revolutions in gender norms and relations – for everyone’s benefit.
The Men’s Story Project (MSP) was founded in 2008 to help spark and support these revolutions. Over the years, we have created a scalable, adaptable, research-based approach to helping groups create bold storytelling productions where men and folks who identify with masculinity publicly share bold, personal stories – with live audiences – that challenge masculinity norms and take a stand for intersectional gender justice. The live events are filmed to create locally-relevant media and educational tools, and often lead to the formation of ongoing gender justice collectives.
Through this work, MSP teams are “crowdsourcing culture change.” The MSP is a humble and bold project, always learning and evolving – with an eye on a world where all people can live with love, health, safety, equity, and genuine self-expression.
We invite groups far and wide to get involved in creating MSP initiatives and join our community of thoughtful actors for gender justice. Please reach out, and we look forward to connecting with you!