Caring and vulnerable. Aware of power and privilege. Accountable and actionable.

The #MeToo movement sparked a cultural shift through which harassment and violence will no longer be relegated to silence. However, sexual harassment and assault remain pervasive, and the topic, as well as what drives it, are not new. To create lasting change for our generation and the next, we need to commit to working together toward more healthy, respectful masculinities.

Explore this page to figure out what we know, how you can start the conversation, and what you can do to realize a feminist future of manhood.

Promundo has been a global leader in working toward the future of manhood in the US and with partners in over 45 countries around the world for over 20 years.

Ready to learn more? Here’s what we know.

Click on the graphics below to dive into the research.

We know that globally, about 1 in 3 women will experience violence from a man in her lifetime.

Globally, men and boys are disproportionately likely to perpetrate most forms of violence and to die by homicide and suicide.

Source: Masculine Norms and Violence: Making the Connections

We know that our culture, the way we raise boys and young men, has everything to do with what drives men’s use of harassment and violence. Many men feel pushed to live by a certain set of norms, finding themselves inside a “Man Box” that discourages emotions and vulnerability and encourages violence.

Nearly 60% of men have been told that a “real man should behave a certain way” at some point in their lives.

Source: The Man Box: A Study on Being a Young Man in the US, UK, and Mexico

Young men who most strongly believe in harmful norms of manhood are nearly 10x as likely to have harassed.

Source: Unmasking Sexual Harassment: How Toxic Masculinities Drive Men’s Abuse in the US, UK, and Mexico and What We Can Do to End It

We know that we can change this. It’s crucial to understand the drivers of harmful norms around masculinity as well as what works across communities, schools, workplaces, and beyond to raise healthy, respectful men.

Comprehensive, longer-term interventions that challenge harmful norms about manhood work to prevent violence and pave the way for gender equality.

Source: What We Know: An Evidence Review of What We Know About Sexual Harassment and Dating Violence

We know young men are ready to step up and start challenging those “Man Box” behaviors in the real world.

Nearly 60% of men report intervening when they have seen someone being shoved, pushed, or having their way blocked.

Source: The Bullying Crisis: Drivers and Consequences Among Young Men in the US

So let’s get started.

Ready to have a conversation? Start here.

Watch the films and ask the questions to open up a dialogue.

It’s hard to know where to begin. You want to open up the conversation — with a friend, a classmate, a student, a family member — around how harmful ideas around masculinity can lead to harassment, abuse, and a lot of other negative outcomes. Get started by watching one of these great short films below.

The Future of Manhood

Promundo

The Mask You Live In

The Representation Project

is it okay for guys...

AXE

Gender Stereotypes

MenEngage Alliance

#EvolveTheDefinition

Bonobos

Now, ask the questions. Create a space for open dialogue and reflection.

  1. What do you think society tells boys and young men about how to be a man? (Is it okay to wear pink, to get emotional in public, to be a feminist, to stand up to a bully)? And what about the messages girls and young women receive?
  2. Do you agree or disagree with those messages?
  3. What do you think happens when individuals hear those messages over and over again?
  4. What is your vision for the future of manhood, and the type of person that you want to be, be with, or be around?
  5. What is a small step we can take today to move toward this future?

Ready to go deeper? What you can do.

Click on the graphic below to learn more about Manhood 2.0, an innovative, effective program to work with young men.

So now you’ve opened up a dialogue, but you’re a teacher, a coach, a parent, a community or family member and you want to do more.

Check out Manhood 2.0 — especially sessions 2, 3, and 4 — to take the conversation further.

Manhood 2.0 is a gender-transformative curriculum developed by Promundo and the University of Pittsburgh to help the young men in your life reflect and build collective support for making positive, healthy changes in their lives.

Want more resources?

Click on the icons below to check out some leading work from our partners.

Sports

school

Community

Workplace

To achieve a feminist future of manhood, we need men — and everyone — to shift ideas of what it means to be a man, and to take action every day toward ending gender stereotypes and creating a more respectful, just world.

Let’s work toward a future where men are more involved, empathetic fathers, friends, and citizens; more proactive about caring for their own health and the health of others; and more engaged in achieving gender equality and preventing all harassment and violence.

Together, we can move beyond a #MeToo generation.

For questions or comments, please write contactdc@promundoglobal.org.