Feminism, Masculinity, and You: A qualitative study of self-described feminist men's understanding of the relationship between their feminism and their masculinity
(2026) SOCM05 20261Sociology
- Abstract
- Drawing on 8 semi-structured interviews, this thesis explores how self-described feminist men in Sweden negotiate the interplay between their positions as men and feminists, as well as how this process is facilitated and challenged by broader cultural discourses of masculinity and feminism. Specifically, thorough attention is given to the "uniqueness" of the Swedish case, as discourses that situate Sweden as a progressive utopia coincide with contemporary anti-genderist movements that highlight men as victims of feminism. Through the use of the theoretical frameworks of hegemonic masculinity, hybrid masculinity, and symbolic boundary-work, the thesis contextualises the relational nature of gender-identities and the meaning-making processes... (More)
- Drawing on 8 semi-structured interviews, this thesis explores how self-described feminist men in Sweden negotiate the interplay between their positions as men and feminists, as well as how this process is facilitated and challenged by broader cultural discourses of masculinity and feminism. Specifically, thorough attention is given to the "uniqueness" of the Swedish case, as discourses that situate Sweden as a progressive utopia coincide with contemporary anti-genderist movements that highlight men as victims of feminism. Through the use of the theoretical frameworks of hegemonic masculinity, hybrid masculinity, and symbolic boundary-work, the thesis contextualises the relational nature of gender-identities and the meaning-making processes that the interviewees engaged in regarding their understanding of a masculine and feminist self. The findings of the thesis show that the men engaged in a multifaceted process of negotiating the interplay between their positions as men and feminists that entailed both an acknowledgement of an outsider status within the feminist movement and a strong belief that they are nonetheless needed for change to occur. In practice, the men believed that their unique role within feminism necessitated a deeper commitment to change in their private lives, and that they could challenge detrimental masculine gender roles through a self-reflexive reformation of themselves. However, the line between transforming or reproducing systems of oppression was delicate, and their beliefs at times led to contradictory consequences. Additionally, by paralleling arguments of anti-genderist movements, some of the men stressed that certain radical tendencies within feminism may have an adverse effect on men's lives. Ultimately, such opinions could have negative repercussions regarding men's support for feminism in the future. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- The feminist struggle for women's rights has arguably come a long way. Although much is still left to be done, it is impossible to ignore the advancement that has occurred in regard to the improvement of women's social and political position globally. Few countries have come to symbolize this political change better than Sweden, which, through generous social welfare programs, has been lauded internationally as a role model regarding gender equality.
As the topic of women's rights has naturally been the driving force behind feminism, the movement has often been understood as a campaign for women, by women. Yet, as recent times have seen an increased activity of pro-feminist men in both the Swedish and global contexts, the question of... (More) - The feminist struggle for women's rights has arguably come a long way. Although much is still left to be done, it is impossible to ignore the advancement that has occurred in regard to the improvement of women's social and political position globally. Few countries have come to symbolize this political change better than Sweden, which, through generous social welfare programs, has been lauded internationally as a role model regarding gender equality.
As the topic of women's rights has naturally been the driving force behind feminism, the movement has often been understood as a campaign for women, by women. Yet, as recent times have seen an increased activity of pro-feminist men in both the Swedish and global contexts, the question of men's role within feminism has become more and more commonplace. For some, this question is a mere technicality, as everyone is believed to be needed if change is to occur. For others, the experience of belonging to a gendered minority is believed to be central to a feminist identity. Can men then be feminists? And in what ways may men's feminism differ from others' feminism? These questions, and more, are explored in this thesis with the help of sociological theories of masculinity, social identity, and cultural discourses.
Drawing on 8 interviews with Swedish self-identified feminist men, the thesis shows how the respondents negotiate between different cultural and social expectations about feminism and masculinity. Although they often agreed that women should always be the focal point of feminism, they still believed that they had a part to play in the movement. In practice, they believed that they, as men, could more actively change their own behaviour for the better, which they in turn hoped would push men's gender roles towards equality. However, their reflection over their own actions and comparisons to other men would at times result in feelings of shame and guilt that could hinder, both also further, a deeper commitment to feminism. Similarly, the findings show that the processes of progressive change and reproduction of tradition can at times be intertwined, thereby leading to contradictory consequences. This aspect was perhaps most clear in relation to some of the men's opinions of contemporary anti-feminist movements, as they roughly agreed with the sentiment that certain forms of feminism impact men's lives negatively. As such, only time will tell if these opinions have an adverse effect on men's broader involvement with feminism. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9243487
- author
- Hrelja, Noah LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SOCM05 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Feminism, Masculinity, Feminist masculinity, Hegemonic masculinity, Hybrid masculinity, Symbolic boundaries
- language
- English
- id
- 9243487
- date added to LUP
- 2026-06-24 15:12:26
- date last changed
- 2026-06-24 15:12:26
@misc{9243487,
abstract = {{Drawing on 8 semi-structured interviews, this thesis explores how self-described feminist men in Sweden negotiate the interplay between their positions as men and feminists, as well as how this process is facilitated and challenged by broader cultural discourses of masculinity and feminism. Specifically, thorough attention is given to the "uniqueness" of the Swedish case, as discourses that situate Sweden as a progressive utopia coincide with contemporary anti-genderist movements that highlight men as victims of feminism. Through the use of the theoretical frameworks of hegemonic masculinity, hybrid masculinity, and symbolic boundary-work, the thesis contextualises the relational nature of gender-identities and the meaning-making processes that the interviewees engaged in regarding their understanding of a masculine and feminist self. The findings of the thesis show that the men engaged in a multifaceted process of negotiating the interplay between their positions as men and feminists that entailed both an acknowledgement of an outsider status within the feminist movement and a strong belief that they are nonetheless needed for change to occur. In practice, the men believed that their unique role within feminism necessitated a deeper commitment to change in their private lives, and that they could challenge detrimental masculine gender roles through a self-reflexive reformation of themselves. However, the line between transforming or reproducing systems of oppression was delicate, and their beliefs at times led to contradictory consequences. Additionally, by paralleling arguments of anti-genderist movements, some of the men stressed that certain radical tendencies within feminism may have an adverse effect on men's lives. Ultimately, such opinions could have negative repercussions regarding men's support for feminism in the future.}},
author = {{Hrelja, Noah}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Feminism, Masculinity, and You: A qualitative study of self-described feminist men's understanding of the relationship between their feminism and their masculinity}},
year = {{2026}},
}