Masculinity has never been an obvious thing to me. And I have come to notice that most men do not have a clear idea and a clear feeling about it either these days, even though I see it as an extremely important matter. A lot of men live their lives without really knowing what it means for them to be a man!
Feminism and women’s movements have brought about profound changes in our society and in our collective psyche. The old definitions of masculinity and femininity and the old role models are being questioned in their essence. The patriarchy, which had been in place for about 5000 years, makes way for something else… but what? Nobody really knows. Neither men nor women. This process was initiated mainly by women, and if we want to restore clarity and harmony between the genders, then it is urgent for men to actively participate and contribute as well!
What does this mean for us men on a personal level? It means taking responsibility for our own masculinity. It means pulling your head out of the sand and asking yourself: am I fulfilled and satisfied as a man? What is my contribution as a man? What makes me specific? What makes me fundamentally different from women? I firmly believe that women and men complement each other, are not the same and do not play the same role. I do not think a man in search of meaning and orientation in his life can avoid the question of masculinity.
