Male Allies?

The Women's Center I volunteer at is currently developping a "male allies project". A male ally... a male ally...

A male ally to the feminist cause, be a male ally. What does this mean? For me this makes little sense. A person becomes an ally to a cause they support, but is not theirs.

How is this not a cause for men? How?

Men that feel they do not have a front-row sit in the feminist movement (as broad as it is) are exactly like white americans in the 60's who felt that the civil rights movement was not their cause. How can it not be your cause once you recognize its value?

Women constitute half of the population, roughly speaking. They are the mothers, sisters,collegues, friends and partners of these "male allies". Their issues, are men's issues. Patriarchy isn't a one way thing. It is complex and global and affects all in a society. How can defeat oppression of 50% without having the "other side" (is there sides here?) working on it too?

Men shouldn't be allies. Men should be in the central positions, by women's sides. Resognising women's first-person experience, and valuing their own experience.

The counter-position obviously goes on the line of "men will just highjack this whole operation". That is counter productive. If in the feminist movement we cannot work internally towards living ideals of equality and equal commitment, what is the point?

Main point: if men are interested in being part of this huge project (if passivity, that big obstacle is falling down) why do they have to get "ally" status? Why aren't they full members? They are people, like us. If we can all fight together, it mean the fight can be won.


"We have to free half of the human race, the women, so that they can help to free the other half"

Emmeline Pankhurst - Sufragette 100 years ago

Can we start freeing the other half too please?