What Can Men Do?
 | 1. Do our homework. Listen to women; learn from their
experience. Read women's literature. Read articles and books about
masculinity and the root causes of violence. (The Halifax Library has a
resource catalogue called Men Changing Men) Educate ourselves to
see the connection between how men are conditioned in this culture and
how that conditioning results in abusive behavior toward women.| 2. Reflect. How can we change our abusive and controlling
behavior? | 3. Use inclusive, non-sexist language. | 4. Confront sexist, racist, homophobic, and any other bigoted
remarks or jokes. | 5. Don't fund sexism. Don't purchase magazines, rent videos,
or buy tapes and CDs that portray women in sexually degrading or violent
ways. Write to publishers and editors when we find sexism in newspapers
and magazines. Protest the gratuitous use of violence against women in
television and film by writing TV and movie executives. | 6. Challenge candidates for political office at every level,
from student government to the Prime Minister of Canada. Ask them to be
committed to the full social, economic, and political equality of women;
oppose those who are not so committed. | 7. Support and advocate for increased government funding for
battered women's shelters, rape crisis centres and organizations that
promote gender equality. Wear a purple ribbon in
the weeks before the
anniversary of the Montreal Massacre (Dec. 6). Support and volunteer to
assist programs that counsel men who abuse women. | 8. Propose and/or support curriculum changes, at every level
of the educational system, that mandate courses and programs to eliminate
sexism and sexual violence. Pressure school administrators to require
these activities. | 9. Organize a group of men--in school, at work, or among a
circle of friends--to met regularly and reflect on changing our behavior
and being positive agents of change. | 10. Invite other men to see the advantages for all of us if we
support women's issues and work for gender equality. | |
