Engaging Men: Barriers and Gender Norms

Men are pivotal in the pursuit of gender equity. Because of well-known gender gaps in executive leadership positions, men can be powerful stakeholders in their organizations. Their support can both expand and accelerate progress toward ending gender inequities.

However, even when men have the best intentions for supporting gender equity, opposing forces such as personal barriers and gender norms can still undermine progress. For people to be effective advocates for equity and change, it's important to understand these challenges and how to overcome them.

Catalyst’s landmark Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives research series was able to identify the barriers and gender norms that many men face on their journey toward equity and inclusion. Let’s take a look at some of the key findings.