Why a Focus on Men & Masculinity?
We need this work now more than ever.
Men and boys are beautiful, full-spectrum human beings. But around the world, men and boys are often told 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 must be emotionally and physically tough, not show vulnerability, be heterosexual, have lots of women, have power over their partner, be financially successful, and so on. These kinds of stereotypes are in full toxic force right now with the inhuman and harmful masculinity ideals that manosphere influencers promote online.
Research around the world has found that men who adhere to rigid or dominant views about masculinity are more likely to experience problems such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, and feel like “no one really knows me;” have homophobic and transphobic views; engage in or endorse men’s uses of violence against women and people of all genders;. engage in substance abuse, risky driving and risky sexual behavior; participate less in caregiving and housework; and have less support for gender equity. 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 around five 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 enact masculinity. Men’s enactment of masculinity is also simultaneously shaped by other intersecting 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 inequity 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 support the creation of many 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 spotlight positive 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 efforts. 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 a vision of a world where all people can live with love, health, safety, equity, and genuine self-expression.
We invite groups to get involved in creating MSP initiatives and join our community of thoughtful actors for social justice. Please reach out, and we look forward to connecting with you!