Transcript PowerPoint-presentation

Promoting the new man:
masculinity and gender-equality in swedish politics and society.
Niclas Järvklo (doctoral candidate)
Department of Literature and History of Ideas, Stockholm University
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”A fundamental idea embraced today in Sweden is that one must aim for change which
emancipates men as well as women from the restrictive effects engendered by the
traditional sex roles (…).”
Olof Palme ”The Emancipation of Man” The Journal of Social Issues 1972, vol.28, No2
From Svenska Dagbladet May 25th 2004
”Being on paternity leave is manly”
Poster from NGO -campaign “ For sure, I will be home!”
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Poster campaign agains men’s violence towards women and childeren
Masculinity politics
Topics:
Promoting men to support and engage in questions of gender equality
Nurturing fatherhood – shared responsibilities – fathers balancing work and family life.
Men in couple and family relationships – Men’s sexuality – cooperation between parents
after divorce.
Men’s health and well-being – the strains of a traditional (patriarchal) male role
Men as perpetrators of violence
Marginalisation of different group’s of men
Changing the gender divided workplace
Upbringing, educational and profession choices
Swedish governmental work groups:
”What do men gain from a changed male sex role?”
The Working Group on the Male Role 1985
Male role reformism
”Men and women are different – it is a fundamental truth, that can not be changed by arguments
or discussion. (…) It is important to promote this difference”
the Daddy group 1995
Progressive masculinism
”Men has in general more power than women and very few let go of this power before knowing
what they will get in return”
Project Men and Gender Equality 2002
Fe-men-ism
Nordic Reports:
Can men do it? – Men and gender equality - the Nordic experience (Nord 2000)
http://www.norden.org/en/publications/publications/2003-510
Men, male roles and gender equality (White Paper on male roles and gender equality, Report
No. 8 2008–2009)
http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/bld/Topics/equality/men-and-gender-equality.html?id=1252
Gender equality can only be achieved when men and women work together towards the
same goals and agree that traditional masculinities and femininities have aspects that need
to be changed.
Many historical, cultural and collective attitudes are contributing to keeping up stereotypes of
male and female roles. Such stereotypes are serious challenges for the individual boy and
man. They set clear limits as to what they may choose and do. Gender equality is about
changing attitudes in men and women as well as securing formal rights and duties at an
individual and group level.”
Public debate on men in Sweden today