2015 Articles

Finding Common Ground: A Feminist Response to Men’s Rights Activism

Allain, Jacqueline

The relationship between feminists and men’s rights activists (MRAs) is a hostile one. This paper, which traces the MRA movement’s origins to the men’s liberation movement of the 1960s, demonstrates that it need not be. Putting contemporary men’s rights activism in conversation with feminist theory and praxis, this essay explores points of ideological convergence between the two movements, demonstrates the potential for partnership, and suggests further avenues of scholarly research on contemporary men’s rights activism. Attempting to better understand MRAs and their potential as feminist allies is vital if we wish to build and sustain a holistic, inclusive feminism that is truly committed to dismantling patriarchal ideology.