- So, I feel like there's been a resurgence
of the word "feminist."
Whether it's Katie Perry, Beyonce, Emma Watson,
that word is in the pop-culture discussion at the moment.
The question I'm wondering is can a man be a feminist?
And if so, are we even welcome?
(light guitar music)
I decided to ask men on the streets
of Los Angeles one question:
Do you consider yourself a feminist?
- Um, I don't consider myself a feminist because,
you know, I'm masculine.
- Are you a feminist? - No.
- What do you mean by that?
- (scoffs) Not at all. (laughs)
Hey, you a comedian, man, this guy's funny.
- I treat females equal to males,
so, I don't really feel the need to be pro-female
and putting females ahead of males.
- No.
- Why not?
- I'm not a woman.
- [Voiceover] Now, I'm sure you're probably thinking that
I edited this down, that not everyone I asked answered no.
But, you'd be wrong.
Every single male either said no, or was unsure
what "feminism" even meant.
So, I decided to speak with Dr. Juliet Williams,
a professor at UCLA's Department of Gender Studies.
- A central message of feminism from the very start
has been that gender inequality and the gender system
as a whole isn't just bad for women,
it's very bad for men, too.
(slow, melancholy music)
It saddles men and women with so many limiting stereotypes,
whether it's for women, the idea that you have to be
pretty and motherly and shy and quiet.
Or for men, this idea that in order to have social value,
you have to be aggressive and competitive and angry
and all these expectations that we now know
cause so much suffering.
- I've seen young men suffering from mental illness,
unable to ask for help,
for fear it would make them less of a men,
or less of a man.
- This is a movement that is by, for, and about women,
but, it's also very much something that
men are welcome to participate in, and in fact,
that we need everyone, man, woman, and child
(laughs) to be on board with this.
- How can we affect change in the world,
when only half of it is invited
or feel welcome to participate to the conversation?
Men, I would like to take this opportunity
to extend your formal invitation.
(applause) (inspirational piano music)
- Being a like straight cisgender man
and not identifying as feminist,
is an incredibly fragile state of being to be in.
(laughs)
- [Voiceover] I decided to ask some of my friends
who are feminists, what exactly being
a feminist means to them.
- Traditional masculinity is very dehumanizing to men.
It sort of paints us as impervious, emotionless,
strong, hardy creatures.
- I understand why some guys would see feminism
as being intruding to their masculinity, but,
I've never really identified with traditional masculinity.
My parents are two psychology majors.
- Well, I have three sisters that I love.
I have an amazing mother.
I'm in a great relationship with a wonderful woman,
and besides that, like, it's just no shit.
I mean, I keep saying that, but no, honestly,
like, it should be such a non-issue.
- My grandmother passed away and my mother passed away;
they were such a huge example.
Not just to lead as a woman but like, as a person.
As you know, being compassionate
and being understanding and being a listener.
- Feminism allows men to admit weakness and insecurity,
and sort of like to give ourselves some slack off of this
totally unrealistic standard of masculinity
that we've been presented.
- [Voiceover] So, you're saying that men absolutely
can be feminists, and should be.
- I am saying that. (laughs)
And it's super surprising when they're not.
(inspirational piano music)