The day after I finished reading Men Speak Out, Renee of the blog Womanist Musings wrote a post entitled "Men In Womens Spaces, Dear God What About The Men?"* Six of the first seven comments were from men, the contents of which can be summed up as "what about me?"
In addition, there are other comments that, while attempting to sound respectful, nonetheless condone the activities of Men's Rights Activists, refuse to own up to their privileges, and absolve themselves from the responsibility of creating equality for everyone. Reading these comments, I realized how essential it is that Men Speak Out has been published. Had I not read it this week, I would have felt discouraged and depressed at the sight of the comments on Renee's blog.
In Men Speak Out, we see essays from feminist and pro-feminist men (I would argue that they are all feminist, but the pro-feminist authors present compelling reasons for why they choose that particular label). These narratives represent a spectrum of ideas and activities. Some of the men admit that they still struggle with how to be (pro)feminists; others have figured out that aspect of their identity, and work to fight sexism at the micro level (by calling out sexist language from friends) or at the macro level, writing anti-rape publications for wide distribution.
We see some men focusing on gender, and others demonstrating an understanding of the ways in which gender affects race, class, sexuality, and trans issues. But while all of these men write from different perspectives and identities, there is a common thread among all of them. Each writer understands his male privilege, recognizes the endemic nature of sexism, and in his own way attempts to fix the problems he sees without being patronizing or ineffective.
Many of the men here struggle with feminist ideas and activism; it doesn't always come easy to them, and they sometimes make mistakes. But it doesn't matter that they're not perfect feminists (especially because it's hard to be a "perfect" anything - even feminist women face conflict and confusion). What matters is that they recognize their power and their mistakes. They don't just attempt to reform society; they attempt to better themselves.
One of the best things about these essays is that they are so approachable. While you might not agree with every single writer, you don't have to worry about being offended or patronized. This collection represents a wide spectrum of ideas, but they are all presented in a respectful, articulate manner. In addition, they're written in a first-person style and are designed for a general audience.
In addition, they would work well in a classroom setting, because these essays engage with and invoke theories of gender and feminism without being dense or difficult. For example, Amit Taneja's "From Oppressor to Activist: Reflections of a Feminist Journey" is one of the best writings I've seen about intersection theory - and it doesn't even use the word "theory."
When I read: "We need to understand that there is no such thing as completel disconnected identities . . . We must always talk about women's rights and gay and lesbian rights while also thinking about xenophobia, classism, racism, transphobia, etc." (161), I wished this essay would have been available to me in college. I would have been a more articulate feminist.
Men Speak Out is an important text for feminist scholars and the general public, especially people wondering about the ways in which men can be feminists (or feminist allies). And anyone who says "but what about the men?" in response to feminism needs to read it. Because this book will give you an answer - that it's not all about you.
*Note: I have left any nonstandard use of punctuation alone, to reflect Renee's own style and editorial choices.