Here's What It Really Takes For A Man To Be A Feminist

Feminism is a movement that fights for women's equality, but that doesn't mean only women can be a part of it.

YouTubers Allison Raskin and Gaby Dunn took on the question, "Can men be feminists?" in a video posted on Sept. 21 for their Just Between Us series . The answer they came up with? Yes, absolutely -- with a few important caveats. (Spoiler alert: Listen to women. Don't pretend you know what they need better than they do.)

Raskin was quick to welcome dudes to the feminist club. "If you’re a man and you say that you’re not a feminist then what you’re saying is you don’t respect women," she said.

Dunn acknowledged that being part of a movement focused on women may seem complicated for men, and brought up her experience with Black Lives Matter  to stress how crucial it is to be an ally without talking over people who experience the discrimination that the movement fights against on a daily basis.

"I know that it’s tough because a lot of times you don’t want to take up space in a movement that isn’t about you," Dunn said. "I struggle with this with Black Lives Matter. I want to support Black Lives Matter, but I don’t want to talk over or pretend I know more or tell them what to do."

The same idea applies to feminism. Men can be feminists if they take the time to listen and understand the discrimination women face.

Thanks to celebs like John Legend and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, there are many male feminists  already working to do this and be positive allies. Join the fight for equality and you'll be in some pretty good company.

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