Creating inclusive movements: navigating the role of male allies in dismantling the patriarchy

…Men need feminist thinking. It is the theory that supports their spiritual evolution and their shift away from the patriarchal model. Patriarchy is destroying the well-being of men, taking their lives daily. – bell hooks.

This quote, by the late Gloria Jean Watkins, more popularly known by her pen name, ‘bell hooks,’ might seem counterintuitive to many, particularly men. However, as is often the case in our human experience, the deepest truths about us are hidden within layers of unexamined assumptions, conventions, and outdated beliefs which may once have been practical but now hinder our collective growth.

Feminism is, essentially, a movement toward equality for all genders, not just women. It challenges harmful societal norms that assume differences between the genders beyond the physical. Understanding how these beliefs divide us reveals why patriarchal structures harm both men and women, though its effects on men are less obvious due to their privileges.

While many men in Sierra Leone, and around the world, have been working to stop harmful practices towards women and girls, such as female genital mutilation, child marriage, rape, and other forms of violence and injustices, their involvement still exposes lingering biases and blindness to their male privileges and power. This reveals a significant gap in their feminist political education.

As feminist movement builders rooted in feminist theory, influenced by feminist thinkers like bell hooks, we recognise the importance of addressing this gap in men’s feminist education. In response to this, Purposeful piloted a male allies engagement program under our Feminist Night School Initiative.

We claim our power fully only when we can speak the truth that we need men in our lives, that men are in our lives whether we want them to be or not, that we need men to challenge patriarchy, that we need men to change. – bell hooks

The pilot Male Allies Night School, which ran simultaneously with the second cohort of our general Feminist Night School, aimed to spark conversations, encouraging men to recognise their power and privileges, and find ways to leverage them for equality. Out of 53 applicants, 19 men involved in the movement to end violence against women and girls actively participated in the inaugural cohort, which focused on deepening their understanding of feminist principles.

Over the next four weeks, the program revealed the necessity of involving male allies not just as participants but as peer educators in Sierra Leone. Many participants identified themselves as feminists due to personal relationships they’ve had with women in their lives, but lacked a deeper understanding of feminist politics. For example, discussions on masculinity and toxic masculinity often revealed traditional stereotypes, like the idea that women are weak and emotional, thus needing male protectors.

In discussions on bodily autonomy, women fighting against FGM expressed optimism about progress, noting that men they’ve educated on its violence have committed to not cutting their daughters. However, patriarchal beliefs persist, as many men frame their opposition to FGM around uncut women’s sexual desirability rather than human rights. Challenging these narratives, especially among male allies, highlights the importance of feminist political education in activist spaces.

Through guided discussions and interactive activities, participants were encouraged to reflect on their understanding of feminism and through these sessions they were able to identify how toxic masculinity appears in their lives and explore ways to deconstruct these harmful norms. The discussions led to many lively debates and a more nuanced understanding of gender roles and equality.

On the first day, I defined myself as a progressive learner. Now, I think this class has triggered some thoughts, like how patriarchy shows up and my male privilege.

I realise and acknowledge that I am not yet a feminist, but I am trying to reach that stage. As a child advocate, I have been working to help protect girls’ rights. In the past eight years, I have seen and witnessed girls suffering, and I know that is unfair. I wish to be a part of this change.

The reflections of the participants at the end of the four weeks were encouraging, as they showed a willingness to engage with feminist practices, confront biases, and actively work toward gender equality. However, I was left feeling overwhelmed by the burden placed on us women in educating male allies, and found myself questioning the emotional labour we have to sacrifice. I turned to the words of bell hooks’ about the work required by feminist women, words that I often struggle with:

To this day I hear individual feminist women express their concern for the plight of men within patriarchy, even as they share that they are unwilling to give their energy to help educate and change men…
…These attitudes, coupled with the negative attitudes of most men toward feminist thinking, meant that there was never a collective, affirming call for boys and men to join feminist movement so that they would be liberated from patriarchy.

I feel challenged by this quote because, on the one hand, I recognise the importance of men and male allies in ending patriarchy, but I am also inclined to believe in the well-known saying that “power is not given”. Particularly when the giving of ‘power’ in this case amounts to one gender recognising the rights of other humans.

Many women come to feminism through personal experiences of injustice, often perpetrated by men upholding patriarchal values. Thus, it feels like a dilemma to invest time and energy convincing those who represent our ‘oppression’ of our equal humanity. So, while I support engaging men in the feminist movement, I lament the unequal burden that women bear for the dissemination of this education.

I believe it is time for men who understand feminist theory to lead the charge in dismantling patriarchy, educating other men, and creating spaces for questioning and unlearning, with support from feminist women.

Men in feminist spaces must also actively seek education for themselves on gender equality and challenge patriarchal norms. Achieving gender equality requires collective effort, with male allies working closely with feminist women to end sexism. By empowering girls, engaging male allies, and promoting intersectional feminist education, we can work toward a more just and equitable society.

This piece was largely influenced by reading the book The Will to Change by bell hooks. All quotes from bell hooks were taken from the book