Män mot destruktiv maskulinitet : Politiska ställningstaganden och praktiker för ökad jämställdhet

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this essay is to investigate men in equality organisations view on toxic masculinity and equality. Starting from a gender perspective with focus on masculinity I have used Raewyn Connell's concept hegemonic masculinity in combination with Bob Pease and Jeff Hearn's the hegemony of men to see how masculinity norms are created, secured, and sustained and how hegemonic masculinity can be connected to toxic masculinity manifested in violence, sexism, and mental illness. Seeing men as carriers of hegemonic masculinity - including the potentially toxic part - opens for possibilities of renegotiation and change. The logic perspective by Jason Glynos and David Howarth has enabled me to dig deeper into the work of the male equality workers to find which political standpoints are at hand and what future aims these men see as important in their pursuit of gender equality. I have also used Bourdieu's concept of field and positioning to be able to further analyse possible ambivalence in the pursuit of gender equality as my informants after all are men working against their own masculinity within a feminist field. Nine interviews have been made: seven with men working in equality organisations and two individual men. By lectures, workshops, and visibility in social media the equality workers teach other men about the destructive effects of masculinity norms and provide them with new knowledge of how to renegotiate toxic masculinity. The idea is that the equality work will offer new knowledge that can turn men as carriers of hegemonic masculinity into empathic, humble, and listening beings. In a wider perspective the eradication of violence, sexism, and mental illness is the key to create new masculinity norms leading to a healthier and happier society for all individuals.