Explores questions of masculinity, privilege, and identity to explain why some men become feminists while others become men's rights activists In the evolving landscape of gender activism in the United States, it is intriguing that four-in-ten American men now identify as feminists. Despite this seemingly positive shift, gender inequality remains deeply rooted in the US. Good Guys, Bad Guys delves into this paradox, unraveling the complexities of men's feminist allyship and its limitations in propelling genuine progress. Emily K. Carian masterfully dissects the narratives of two distinct groups of gender activists: feminist men and men who belong to the men's rights movement, which opposes feminism. By engaging directly with the men themselves, Carian constructs a compelling analysis of their journeys into these contrasting social movements. Surprisingly, Carian finds that both feminist men and men's rights activists share a common motivation for their engagement in gender activism: the desire to be perceived as "good men." However, this well-intentioned yet superficial drive hinders feminist men from envisioning concrete and effective strategies to challenge gender inequality. Conversely, it fuels men's rights activists' participation in a movement that fosters a virulent misogyny. Good Guys, Bad Guys exposes how even self-proclaimed feminist men inadvertently perpetuate gender inequality through their attitudes, behaviors, and relationships. As society navigates the complexities of gender activism, this book serves as a valuable resource in guiding the path towards a truly equal and inclusive future.
Emily K. Carian is Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine. She is co-editor of Male Supremacism in the United States: From Patriarchal Traditionalism to Misogynist Incels and the Alt-Right.
"Emily Carian intelligently explores the differences between feminist men and men's rights activists regarding their conception of gender inequality/equality. And with keen insight Carian uniquely extends the analysis by examining their similarity in terms of 'privilege renegotiation strategies,' whereby both groups of men practice distinct yet morally inflexible masculine identities. Engaging, original, and theoretically incisive, Good Guys, Bad Guys moves the discussion of men's relationship with gender activism to a new level of sophistication. I highly recommend it." * James W. Messerschmidt, author of Hegemonic Masculinity: Formulation, Reformulation, and Amplification * "Good Guys, Bad Guys is a landmark text on U.S. men's gender politics. Through in-depth interviews with feminist men and men's rights activists, Carian finds strategies across the gender-political divide examining how they engage with, understand, and seek to "renegotiate" privilege. She shows that the identity work in which these men are engaged comes with consequences that are sometimes at odds with some of their professed politics. Good Guys, Bad Guys helps us understand why gender inequality is so pernicious and persistent-it is inscribed onto our identities and shapes the ways we define ourselves and our gender politics." * Tristian Bridges, co-author of Exploring Masculinities: Identity, Inequality, Continuity, and Change *
