Citation

Pease B. Men Masc. 2002; 5(2): 165-177.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1097184X02005002003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Do men have too much to lose to be reliable allies with women in challenging patriarchy? This article addresses this question by exploring feminist views about the “man question” and reflecting on a dialogue in a pro-feminist electronic discussion group about whether it is men's interests to change. It challenges the view that men, as individuals, have objective interests that arise as a consequence of being men in a patriarchal society and argues that while men may construct interests toward their own material well being, they may also construct ideal interests that are formed by support for more abstract principles. It is thus suggested that men formulate a sense of having particular interests and that they behave on the basis of this formulation. The implications of this view for reconstructing men's interests toward support for feminism are discussed.