It is not uncommon for men to perceive feminism as accusatory and insulting, frequently feeling that feminism creates more divisions than bridges by blaming men for social problems. Claiming that they are not individually responsible for the harms and oppression that feminists describe, some men feel unjustly persecuted by feminist politics. Combining this with feelings of disenfranchisement in...

As the introduction to this work makes clear, characterizing the men’s rights movement (MRM) is challenging. However, in order to focus this discussion, the current chapter will examine the rhetoric, ideals, and methods of core MRM groups and sites such as AVFM in order to provide a more detailed description of the movement and its engagement with politics and feminism. This chapter will...

This philosophical analysis of the MRM will begin with a discussion of the context in which the MRM takes hold, namely the Internet. In order to assess the MRM as a sociopolitical phenomenon, it is necessary to examine the underlying assumptions and methods contributing to the rise of the phenomenon of “angry white men” generally and the MRM specifically. In this chapter, I will argue...

Once the agenda, methods, and membership of a given social movement have been established, it is necessary to examine the conditions under which such a movement arises, and to philosophically evaluate the status of a movement as progressive, liberatory, oppressive, and so forth. The previous chapters describe the nature of the MRM through a discussion of membership, ideals, and methods; this...

The MRM does not merely argue that men experience harms due to gender constructs or feminism. Rather, they claim that men experience systemic oppression as a result of their gender identity, and that this oppression is both furthered and maintained by feminists. Notably, the MRM does not refer to intersectional masculine identity in its discussions, but promotes the notion that men experience...

The MRM argues that pervasive misandry has had a significant impact on men as fathers. MRM evidence for the oppression of men in the context of fatherhood is presented as: disparities in reproductive choices between men and women; economic demands placed on fathers; unjust custody and alimony payments in divorce; and the negative impact these factors have on children. This section will present...

The problem of masculinity and violence is a well-documented issue that has been examined across many fields and in many contexts. The MRM points to male exposure to violence, harm, and punishment as a significant aspect of male oppression. This chapter will provide an overview of the MRM’s conception of masculinity and violence, followed by an analysis of oppression and the gender politics...

In An Essay on Liberation,[1]~ ~1. Herbert Marcuse, An Essay on Liberation,...

Christa Hodapp is a senior lecturer in philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She received a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from Denison University, a master’s degree in women’s studies from Florida Atlantic University, and a PhD in philosophy from the University of Kentucky. Her research interests include masculinity and the media, as well as...