Can Men do Feminist Theory?
There are perhaps as many definitions of feminism and feminist theory as there are people who declare that they are feminists. Ben Agger (1998) states that the major achievement of feminist theory is to make the politics of sex and gender central to understanding oppression. However, feminist theory is not only about understanding but also about action. A goal of the feminist project is to end the oppression of women and attain social equity for them. The politics of patriarchy have suppressed women’s voices and dominated social discourse and social action to the benefit of men and detriment of women. Thus it may be problematic for some readers that I, as a white male in this patriarchal society, am struggling to define the male role in feminism, which was born out of the women’s movement and revisits the unanswered question, can men do feminist theory? This question can only be answered in differing ways for the meanings of text and answers to social questions are contested symbolic m
