Title: So You Want to Be a Male Feminist? Here Are 11 Simple Rules to Follow
Headings: So You Want to Be a Male Feminist? Here Are 11 Simple Rules to Follow
So You Want to Be a Male Feminist? Here Are 11 Simple Rules to Follow
Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Aziz Ansari. John Legend.
1. Understand that women are leading the way and affirm their capable leadership. Don't assert yourself at the forefront.
2. When it comes to issues that directly pertain to women's bodies and experiences, be quiet and listen.
3. Men don't get to determine if they are "allies" to the feminist movement. Women do.
4. Take responsibility for addressing men's issues with other men, rather than expecting women in feminism to do all of the work.
5. Use your male privilege to encourage other men to work towards gender equality, under women's leadership.
6. Don't use the label of "feminist" as a way to try to get women to like you — that's disingenuous and counterproductive.
7. When given opportunities to execute professional tasks related to feminist issues, consider referring other women instead.
8. Educate yourself about the history of feminism and how women of different backgrounds have approached the movement.
9. Ensure your feminism is intersectional.
10. Acknowledge that sometimes, women need opportunities to discuss feminist issues without the presence of men. And that's okay.
11. When women criticize your involvement in feminism, don't talk over them or talk down to them. Actively listen and be accountable.

Content: Instead of railing against the women in feminism, it's important that men take steps to work with each other, as well as with feminist leaders, to recognize how the struggle for gender equality plays a key role in many of these efforts. 5. Use your male privilege to encourage other men to work towards gender equality, under women's leadership. Manish Swarup/AP
Once you feel that you have a stable understanding of what it means to be a feminist, motivate other men you know to join in the push for gender equality. Being a feminist shouldn't be seen as a chore, a job or a simple label, but rather as a lifelong commitment to ensuring that institutional sexism comes to an end. But, as the CEO of Microsoft recently learned, that commitment should run deeper than tokenization, or telling women, from a position of privilege, how they should approach key issues such as the gender pay gap. 6. Don't use the label of "feminist" as a way to try to get women to like you — that's disingenuous and counterproductive. We've all heard the horror stories of men using feminism to get dates or new female friends, thinking the label may prove they are somehow "softer" and not as ignorant as more conventionally masculine "bro" types. However, this "nice guy" approach can backfire.