It’s easy for people to say, “I’m a feminist,” without knowing what they’re talking about, especially men. They can be far too quick to include themselves in the movement without knowing what being a male feminist actually entails. It’s not good enough just to acknowledge it. Being a true male feminist means understanding intersectionality, which is the belief that gender inequality is impacted by racism, class, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other issues. It also means knowing your place in discussions, and being aware of when to share and when to listen. It means using your privilege as a man to draw attention to those with less of a voice. Being a male feminist means not speaking over women or minorities, and knowing that you can’t truly understand that which you have not experienced.
On top of this, it’s important to understand that male feminists are held to a different standard than female feminists. Many men are idolized for simply acknowledging the pay gap, sexualization in the media, or that #BlackLivesMatter, while women and minorities may dedicate their lives to an issue without receiving any recognition. Being a feminist means putting in the work. It means speaking the truth even when people won’t agree with you.
With that in mind, here are three relatively famous male feminists who actually do walk the talk.
Terry Crews:
You might already know about Terry Crews from time he spent playing in the NFL, his role on Everybody Hates Chris, or *gasp* his appearance in White Chicks, but you probably don’t know that he’s a feminist. Crews recently published a book about his version of feminism, Manhood: How to Be A Better Man – Or Just Live With One, which addresses problems like consent, skewed perceptions of masculinity, and the culture of male dominance in football. He also has campaigned for non-profits like the Polaris Project, which is a global leader in combating human trafficking. Additionally, he’s not afraid to call out bullshit, such as when he condemned 50 Shades Of Grey in this tweet:
Instead of actually doing something about police brutality, police have routinely opted for the easier “solution”
Thanks Terry!
Mark Ruffalo:
Mark Ruffalo is has gotta be everybody’s favorite Incredible Feminist Hulk. Once, in a twist that revealed the media’s sexism, Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson swapped interview questions for the movie “Avengers: Age of Ultron”. Johansson was finally able to answer fun questions about stunts and developing her character while Ruffalo answered questions classically directed at female leads, such as how he got in shape for the film and what he would be wearing that night on the red carpet. Besides toying with the media, the actor is also extremely passionate about reproductive rights. In 2013, he wrote a letter about his mother’s illegal abortion which he read aloud at a Mississippi abortion clinic during a pro-choice rally. He also spoke in defense of a woman’s right to choose on the 41st anniversary of Roe v Wade with The Center of Reproductive Rights. Most importantly, Ruffalo is good at amplifying the voices of women, especially when he reblogged a post from Tumblr feminist Libby Anne in response to the “I am not a feminist” section of the internet. You can read the whole thing here, but this is an excerpt:
“You’re spitting on the legacy of every woman who fought for women to be allowed to own property (1848). For the abolition of slavery and the rise of the labor union. For the right to divorce. For women to be allowed to have access to birth control (Comstock laws). For middle and upper class women to be allowed to work outside the home (poor women have always worked outside the home). To make domestic violence a crime in the US (It is very much legal in many parts of the world). To make workplace sexual harassment a crime.”
Keep it up, Mark!
Joshua Bennett:
Joshua Bennett is a spoken word poet from Yonkers, New York who recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in English and Africana Studies and minors in Spanish and History. At only 22, he has already performed in front of the Obamas and won HBO’s Brave New World teen poetry competition. His poetry, besides being beautiful and powerful, deals with issues like toxic masculinity, race, and ableism. His feminism is most apparent in his poem “10 Things I Want To Say To A Black Woman,” especially in the lines “When I was born my mother’s smile was so bright, it knocked the air from my lungs, and I haven’t been able to breathe right since,” and “When we are married I will cook, do the dishes and whatever else it takes to let you know that traditional gender roles have no place in the home we build; so my last name is an option, babysitting the kids a treat we split equally.”
Joshua Bennett is an excellent example of a great male feminist. His poetry illustrates his great respect for the women in his life, especially his sisters and mother, and dismantles traditional femininity and masculinity and draws insightful and intelligent remarks on the intersection of race and gender. You go, Joshua Bennett!
Take a look at some of Joshua’s amazing work:
10 Things I Want To Say To A Black Woman
Tamara’s Opus
Joshua Bennett can be found on Twitter at @sirjoshbennett
