Overview

Challenging and deconstructing the traditional attributes of masculinity is an essential step in contributing to feminist struggles and gender equality. Recognising that the history of violence against women and girls is primarily exercised by men as a social mechanism that benefits them to the detriment of women's rights, it is essential to create a space for reflection on new masculinities. Thus, reflection on new forms of masculinity, deconstructing the norms that are rooted in society, represents a strategy to achieve beneficial results not only for women but also for the health and education of men.

This reflection focuses on the urgency of changing men's attitudes and behaviours towards women in order to contribute to feminist struggles and gender equality. Our reflection also aims to address the different dimensions of being a man, be it the man who represents female aggression and oppression be it the man who is a promoter of women's rights and gender equality, focusing on other aspects such as recognizing the existence of the facet of the man as a victim, including violence and sexual abuse.

The recognition of the different dimensions that constitute the extension of being human is intended to evoke the basic principles of human rights, to contribute to an education that transmits to young men values for gender equality, promoting the recognition of equality of rights between women and men.

Bio note

Ângelo Fernandes is the founder and president of Quebrar o Silêncio - the first Portuguese association of specialised support to men survivors/victims of sexual abuse. Feminist and champion of human rights and gender equality, he works to challenge the different representations of toxic masculinity and the deconstruction of attributes of traditional masculinity that promotes machismo and sexism. Assumes himself as a champion of the new forms of masculinity as a means of contributing to an equitable society where women and men enjoy full equality of opportunities.

Recommended readings:
MenEngage Alliance (2017), Accelerating efforts to eliminate violence against women: Engaging men and boys in preventing and responding to violence against all women and girls

http://menengage.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/MenEngage-Alliance-HRC35-brief-June-2017.pdf

UN Women Training Centre (2016), Understanding Masculinities and Violence Against Women and Girls
https://trainingcentre.unwomen.org/pluginfile.php/72/mod_data/content/26885/masculinities%20booklet%20.pdf