Feminism

=== Men and masculinity ===
{{main|Men and feminism}}
Feminist theory has explored the social construction of masculinity and its implications for the goal of gender equality. The social construct of masculinity is seen by feminism as problematic because it associates males with aggression and competition, and reinforces patriarchal and unequal gender relations.<ref name="Faludi" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Tong |first=Rosemarie Putnam |title=Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction |location=Boulder, Colo. |publisher=Westview Press |edition=2nd |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-8133-3295-6 |page=70}}</ref> Patriarchal cultures are criticized for "limiting forms of masculinity" available to men and thus narrowing their life choices.<ref name="Gardiner">{{cite book |last1=Gardiner |first1=Judith Kegan |title=Masculinity Studies and Feminist Theory |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-231-12278-8 |pages =96, 153}}</ref> Some feminists are engaged with men's issues activism, such as bringing attention to male rape and spousal battery and addressing negative social expectations for men.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Uviller | first1 = Rena K. | year = 1978 | title = Fathers' Rights and Feminism: The Maternal Presumption Revisited | journal = [[Harvard Journal of Law & Gender|Harvard Women's Law Journal]] | page = 107 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Shanley |first=Mary |date=January 1995 |title=Unwed fathers' rights, adoption, and sex equality: Gender-neutrality and the perpetuation of patriarchy |jstor=1123127 |journal=[[Columbia Law Review]] |volume=95 |issue=1 |pages=60–103 |doi=10.2307/1123127}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Levit |first=Nancy |title=Feminism for Men: Legal Ideology and the Construction of Maleness |journal=[[UCLA Law Review]] |volume=43 |number=4 |year=1996 |ssrn=1297365}}</ref>

Male participation in feminism is generally encouraged by feminists and is seen as an important strategy for achieving full societal commitment to gender equality.<ref name="hooks" /><ref>Digby, Tom (1998). Men Doing Feminism. New York: Routledge. {{ISBN|978-0-415-91625-7}}.</ref><ref>Phillips, Layli, ''The Womanist reader'', CRC Press, 2006, {{ISBN|0-415-95411-8}}</ref> Many male feminists and [[Pro-feminism|pro-feminists]] are active in both women's rights activism, feminist theory, and masculinity studies. However, some argue that while male engagement with feminism is necessary, it is problematic because of the ingrained social influences of patriarchy in gender relations.<ref>Jardine, Alice, Paul Smith, ''Men in feminism '', {{ISBN|0-415-90251-7}}</ref> The consensus today in feminist and masculinity theories is that men and women should cooperate to achieve the larger goals of feminism.<ref name="Gardiner" /> It has been proposed that, in large part, this can be achieved through considerations of women's [[Agency (sociology)|agency]].<ref name=coerced_parenthood />