“It’s an ongoing process”: A qualitative analysis of men's feminist identity growth

Abstract

Feminist identity is a powerful predictor of engagement in gender-based activism. Men's feminist identification is complicated by the uniquely gendered stereotypes attributed to feminist men, which are antithetical to traditional masculine gender role norms. While there is a substantial body of literature surrounding the feminist identity development process in cisgender women, research exploring men’s feminist identity development is scant. This study aimed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of men’s feminist identity development in the context of masculine gender role norms. Twenty-seven cisgender, feminist-identified men (Mage = 33.08, SD = 8.42) recruited via social media were interviewed for the study. Through reflexive thematic analysis, the authors extracted five themes from the data: Diverse Feminist Foundations, Turning Points, Evaluation and (Un)Learning, Taking Action, and Feedback. The men described a feminist identity growth process that was complex and ongoing, catalyzed by various moments of dissonance and clarity throughout their lives. They articulated their negotiation of traditional masculinity, embracing the parts that supported their growth and rejecting aspects that were inconsistent with their feminist principles. Men also shared their unique and creative ways of practicing and promoting feminism as well as the feedback they received for doing so. We conclude with suggestions for men who wish to support gender equality and the feminist women who wish to support men's feminist identity growth.