ENgAgiNg MEN iN gENdEr iNiTiATivEs - Catalyst

three barrierSOBSTACLES TO BECOMING ACHAMPIONWhat opposing forces can undermine men’s support for gender initiatives? Interviewees mentioned threebarriers most often: 63 apathy, fear, and real or perceived ignorance. A detailed description of these barriers,along with illustrative quotations from our interviewees, is provided below.Table 1Prevalence of Barriers Discussed by IntervieweesBarrierPercentage of Interviewees Who Discussed Barrier (N=35)Apathy 74%Fear 74%Real and perceived ignorance 51%ApathySeventy-four percent of interviewees said thatmany men were unconcerned about issuesof gender equality, did not see a compellingreason for becoming actively involved in genderinitiatives, or both. Several interviewees judgedthat men are often unaware of what they might gainfrom championing gender equality. As previouslydiscussed, a higher degree of awareness of specificcosts associated with gender bias, such as thesignificant pressures men experience to fulfill therole of primary breadwinner, was associated withgreater support for and commitment to promotinggender equality. These findings, as well as thequotations below, suggest that men will remainindifferent and therefore unlikely to support genderequality unless they appreciate how they can gainpersonally from changing the status quo.[There are] three reactions [to championinggender equity]. There is apathy and [the]”That's nice,” kind of thing. There's backlash.And there's ”What's the point?” or even morevehement resistance….The bulk of them [are]located in that apathy center.—Canadian ManWhy do I think all men don't “get it”?…I think alot of them just don't have the experiences thattell them to be aware of…the possibilities thatcome with diversity.—U.S. ManFearSeventy-four percent of interviewees alsoidentified fear as a barrier to men’s supportfor gender equality. The fear they described wasrelated to three different concerns:Fears about loss of status. Thirty-four percent ofinterviewees believed that for some men, supportfor gender equality was diminished by fears of losingstatus and privilege. According to their accounts,many men perceived that although beneficial towomen, equality could only come at the expenseof men. Changing this zero-sum perspective wasjudged by several interviewees as critical to gainingmen’s support for gender initiatives.14 | Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives