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Support for the cause of feminism

Pro feminism refers to support of the cause of feminism without implying that the supporter is a member of the feminist movement. The term is most often used in reference to men ("male feminists") who actively support feminism and its efforts to bring about the political, economic, cultural, personal, and social equality of women with men. A number of pro feminist men are involved in political activism, most often in the areas of gender equality, women's rights, and ending violence against women. As feminist theory found support among a number of men who formed consciousness raising groups in the 1960s, these groups were differentiated by preferences for particular feminisms and political approaches. However, the inclusion of men's voices as "feminist" presented issues for some. For a number of women and men, the word "feminism" was reserved for women, whom they viewed as the subjects who experienced the inequality and oppression that feminism sought to address. In response to this objection, various groups coined and defended other terms like antisexism and pro feminism. Pro feminist men are considered by some to be a stream of the modern men's movement sympathetic towards feminism. Pro feminist men seek to add male voices to feminism and advocate change by both women as well as men in their gender relations and social, political, and institutional structures. Some feminists argue that male inclusion in the feminist movement is necessary for the universalization of the movement, and for the movement to remain relevant in the future. Since the latter half of the 20th century, more pro feminists around the world have become involved in advocating for various causes typically associated with feminism, including but not limited to anti rape and anti violence activism, as well as challenging the sexualization of women in the media. Many of these activities have been chronicled in a variety of publications and books, including, since 1983, Voice Male magazine, edited by Rob Okun, himself a long time pro feminist. Marge Piercy (1969) argued that liberal male politicians will sometimes espouse feminist claims to gain votes, despite dubious backgrounds and actions. Pro feminist men are often social activists like August Bebel.

An area of feminist social work in which some pro feminist men have participated is preventing violence against women, and supporting its survivors. Anti violence activists work in shelters for battered women, counseling survivors, rehabilitating perpetrators and spreading awareness of the issue. Many male activists support these anti violence campaigns on two strong fronts: first, that violence against women concerns all people, regardless of gender; and secondly, that more attention should be paid to the social environments that produce perpetrators. Activists have also analyzed the cultural factors that contribute to violence against women. The White Ribbon Campaign was founded in response to the École Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal, Canada.

Early writings in the U. S. that the pro feminist men's movement has identified as antecedents to its thought include Jon Snodgrass's A Book of Readings for Men against Sexism, Michael Kimmel and Michael Messner's collection of essays, Men's Lives, and Joseph Pleck's The Myth of Masculinity. Three basic assumptions of these early texts included the distinction between sex and gender, the treatment of gender as a social construct, and the position that men are harmed by proscriptive gender roles. Building on this last assumption, early pro feminist men's texts assumed a corollary that if men were made aware of these conditions, they would relinquish their social privileges.

Some feminists and pro feminists believe that it is inappropriate for men to call themselves "feminists". There is also internal disagreement within this "movement", for example with socialist movements, anti racist struggles, and so on. Those who claim that "feminist" can apply equally to men and women often point out that the arguments made by advocates of the term "pro feminist" are based in notions of biological determinism and essentialism, and are actually contrary to feminist principles. Some pro feminist men believe that there is a potential for "backlash" within the men's movement, a potential for the movement to turn towards the defence of what they see as men's privilege and position, and some say that this has already occurred. While all pro feminist men assume that men must act to dismantle gender injustice, some argue that a men's movement is not the way to do this.