Masculinity and Femininity: Past, Present and Future

Masculinity and Femininity: Past, Present and Future first focuses on the way in which the #MeToo movement has challenged men to respond to the widespread exploitation of women by men, raising questions about men's ethical responsibility. Following this, the authors examine how the construction of masculinity is changing in the global south and how more men are demonstrating progressive versions of masculinity. Traditional masculinity in the workplace is explored, particularly in the context of parental leave, presenting a framework for action at the institutional, community and individual level. The authors discuss the formation of a distinct feminine subjectivity within the Kurdish political movement of early 21st century in Turkey, which they trace through the self-narrations of women local representatives nominated and/or elected for the 2009 local elections. Jack Halberstam's new vision of gender and feminism which embraces queer and trans* experiences within the categories of womanhood and femininity is presented as a more inclusive feminism which fits the twenty-first century.