Yesterday, we celebrated “International Women’s Day,” meant to shed light on the continued fight for female equality and appreciation. Throughout my blogging time, I have often discussed the feminist movement, which I find to be particularly challenging because of the presence of a vicious branch of ultra-feminism, which demonizes men and leaves very little space for the true balance and equality that is the goal of true, honest feminism. This is not an attempt to quantify women by their relationship with men, but rather a struggle to find a way to be helpful in spreading the feminist agenda, which I find to be incredible positive and meaningful.
In addition to yesterday’s celebration of women, the National Basketball Association has recently launched a campaign where basketball’s biggest stars join the “Lean In” phenomenon to help create an environment of gender equality and understanding.
The “Lean In” concept originated with a book, written by Sheryl Sandberg, that encourages women to change the focus away from what women CAN’T do, and instead focus on all of the incredible things women CAN do. The theory uses three focal points: community, education, and “circles,” which are small support groups meant to encourage collaborative growth. Overall, the basis is that the more educated people are about the need for women’s equality, the more likely we are to be successful in creating a fair and equal world.
What makes this so compelling for me is the involvement of men in the campaign, especially within the NBA. What “Lean In” is creating is a true partnership between men and women, all working together for the greatest collaboration, so that all people can reach their full potential. Nowhere in the campaign are men told to sit down, to be quiet, to get out of the way. While men can so often be overbearing and dominant, the end goal is not to push men to the side, but rather the lift up women, to empower them to feel as if they are able to contribute in equally meaningful ways.
This is an incredibly hard thing to discuss as a man, because of the popularity of “man-splaining.” I have found it difficult to find my place in the feminist movement, because of the overwhelming feeling that any part I play is counter-productive, because my identity as a man precludes me from being helpful. I have often felt like I am part of the problem, rather than the solution, regardless of how I feel or behave, simply because of my gender. The “Lean In” movement has afforded men the chance to become advocates for women both at home and in the workplace.
In a USA Today article from last week, “Lean In” author Sandberg said “Men should support their wives and daughters at home and their female colleagues in the workplace, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s great for them. From stronger marriages and healthier, happier children to better outcomes at work, the benefits of men leaning in for equality are huge.”
The most significant benefit of this attitude is that it is a separation from the idea that the success of one gender needs to be quantified by the presence or absence of the other. There is not a pre-set amount of power in the world that must be divided equally, but rather a limitless amount of strength that should be cultivated and encouraged, so that all people, regardless of gender identity, can be raised to meet their full potential.
For the first time in a long time, I feel comfortable identifying with a kind of feminism that sees me as an advocate, rather than an enemy.
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