Originally sent out as newsletter to GHL subscribers. This is a sample of copy editing.

What About The Needs And Experiences of Men?

Often in conversation about global women’s justice and gender based violence, I hear people ask the question, “What about men?”

Sometimes when people ask “What about men” what they’re asking is “You talk a lot about the experiences and needs of women. What about the needs and experiences of men? Don’t we matter too?” Yes, of course, absolutely. But why do we assume that a discussion about the experiences of women is a threat or challenge to men? If we’re being honest, maybe we’ve bought into the belief that gender politics is a zero sum game. If men win, women lose. If women win, then men will lose. Both men and women have propagated this belief that power is like a seesaw with men and women on opposing sides.

This breaks my heart.

A more fitting visual analogy would be a rising tide that raises all ships. That we’re better together. This isn’t just Utopian aspiration. It’s well researched and documented. When girls go to school, the GDP of the whole country goes up. When women are involved in government, countries are more secure and stable. When women are involved in management at corporations, the corporations are more profitable. This is not because women are better. It’s because we’re better together.

At Give Her Life, we too are asking, “what about men?” By that we mean, how can men and women work together towards a world where both men and women can thrive?Men, you are not the problem. But you have been and can be part of the solution. Over the next week or two, we’ll be thanking the men who have been vital to GHL. We’ll do this through sharing stories of men who are contributing to the solution around the world, and inviting more men to step into their place in the story of moving forward together.

Call to action: During this campaign we’re asking all of you, men and women, to invite other men to support GHL on our social media platforms. Beyond that we’d like to encourage men to continue to enrich the lives of the women and girls around you. Ladies, we’d like to encourage you to support and thank the men who have transformed your lives. Let’s live this out together, and we can change the world.