Making Space for Men? Men’s Participation in the Field of Gender Equality in Iceland from 1990-2020
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Men's involvement in the work for gender equality in the ‘feminist paradise’ of Iceland is a politically prioritised but under-researched area. We examine the premise for men's involvement in gender equality work from 1990 to 2020 in terms of initiatives, ideological underpinnings, and what opportunities and challenges it brings to the field. Using thematic analysis of archive material, committee reports, newspapers, and other data we demonstrate that the invitation by which men's involvement started, was succeeded by men's own initiative. Initially, a feminist informed approach with an emphasis on gender-based violence existed along men's rights perspectives. However, the ambiguities between these two strands developed into separate pathways. The study also indicates a differential and privileged treatment for men in gender equality work. The involvement of men in gender equality work generates challenges and paradoxes which the agents in the field must engage with. We argue that there is a risk that engaging men in gender equality work reproduces gendered power dynamics, and that it must be addressed by asking how and on what premise men should be included.
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