Resources

There are great resources for encouraging norms of sexual consent and respect among men and boys, building skills in negotiating consent, and so on. Here, we have collected some useful, accessible pieces. Further suggestions are most welcome.

Further pieces on XY which focus on consent include the following:

What is men's violence against women? What are its causes and consequences? Here are some key readings and reports, on domestic violence, sexual violence, and other forms of violence against women. They include shorter or more accessible pieces and longer discussions and reports.

The MenEngage Alliance, a global network of more than 630 organizations working with men and boys for women’s right and gender justice, has worked to enhance accountability in this field for some time, building on many years of work by women’s rights organizations. The MenEngage Alliance understands accountability as the commitment that activists and organizations working in the engaging boys and mend field must have toward women’s rights groups and other social justice movements.

This technical paper, produced by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), is designed as a reference tool to assist OSCE executive structures in increasing the engagement of men and boys in gender equality initiatives within the OSCE region. It invites reflection upon masculinities and the many positive roles that men and boys can and do provide to bridge continuing gender inequalities.

Here is a handy, one-page guide to key activist and academic resources on men, masculinities, and gender.

It's available below, and in a downloadable Word document further below.

“Far too many boys approach adolescence having experienced violence, witnessed violence, dropped out of school, had risky sex, or practiced other risk-taking behaviors because they believe that they must do so to be seen by their peers and their communities as “real men.” This has real and long-lasting impacts on the lives of women and girls and inhibits the creation of respectful and equal relationships.”

There is now an excellent academic literature on men's health and illness, the links between men's health and the social construction of masculinity, and related issues. Here, we have gathered some of the key academic overviews of this area, in full text.