The Time Has Come: Why Men Must Join the Gender Equality Revolution

The cofounder of the White Ribbon Campaign and a member of the Canadian G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council directs a well-constructed argument toward his fellow men (particularly straight, white, middle-class men): that actively working for gender equity at personal, organizational, and societal levels is not only critical for human rights as a whole, but directly beneficial to men and their children. Kaufman (The Guy’s Guide to Feminism) begins with some basics: a discussion of privilege and how recognizing it begins by listening to women; a framing of the gendering of the brain as epigenetic and based in how parents teach infants gender stereotypes from birth; and an explanation of how unrealistic ideals of manhood limit men’s full expression as human beings. Kaufman’s biggest focus is on what he calls “the Dad Shift,” an acknowledgement that men are well-suited to be caregivers and that doing so improves outcomes for kids, leads to personal growth for men, challenges the undervaluation of traditional women’s work, and models equality for future generations. Kaufman is admirably careful not to take over the work of women and other marginalized people, focusing on educating and motivating his peers. This is a cogent, unusual call to action. [em]Agent: Julia Lord, Julia Lord Literary Management. (Jan.) [/em]