From founding the White Ribbon Campaign, the world’s largest organized effort of men working to end violence against women, in the early 1990s, to his appointment as the only male member of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, Michael Kaufman has been a major figure in promoting social justice and women’s rights for decades. Now, in The Time Has Come, he issues a stirring call for men to mobilize in the movement for gender equality. Weaving together sociological data, personal experiences, and insights gleaned from decades of work with governments and NGOs around the globe, Kaufman explores topics ranging from domestic violence to parental leave, grappling with the ways in which a culture of toxic masculinity hurts women and men (and their children). Informative and provocative, The Time Has Come demonstrates how real gender equality creates advancements in both the workplace and the global economy, and urges men to become dedicated allies in dismantling the patriarchy. Reviews and Endorsements: “This is a cogent, unusual call to action.” — Publishers Weekly “Kaufman argues persuasively that true gender equality will be good for the economy, families, the environment, and perhaps, especially, men themselves . . . Kaufman focuses on how the power granted by gender inequality puts men over women, some men over other men, and man over nature, thus widening his scope. A timely, informative, thought-provoking, and practical approach to a necessary social reform. Recommended for both men and women.” — Booklist “Critically important for our time and required reading for us all. I had a hard time putting it down — it’s a great book.” — Rosanna Arquette, Emmy-nominated actor “For too long the struggle for the rights of women and girls was seen as women’s business. Of course it’s equally men’s business and stops being such a struggle when it’s seen that way. This reframing gives us a chance to understand violence against women as deeply toxic for us all.” — Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women “An inspiring book loaded with wisdom and pragmatism. I strongly recommend this awesome book. THE TIME HAS COME!” — Ziauddin Yousafzai, father of Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, co-founder of the Malala Fund, United Nations Special Adviser on Global Education “With a combination of compelling stories and facts, Michael Kaufman offers a timely and important case for engaging men in the ongoing fight for gender equality.” — Deborah Gillis, President and CEO, Catalyst “Through personal stories, insights gleaned from decades of working to end gender-based violence, and practical advice for those men ready to step up to the plate, Kaufman has produced a special book. It will be an important guide to the many men now seeking ways to stop violence against women, to create a more nurturing and loving culture for all. Now especially, a major ‘men’s movement’ is needed to counter the kind of male leadership that seems to encourage the very violence that continues to endanger our lives and well-being.” — Judy Norsigian, co-creator of Our Bodies Ourselves “Michael Kaufman is among the most prominent male allies for social justice in the world today. In this new book he makes a more personal case to women — and men: gender equality is good for everyone! A vital and necessary book by one of the most visible activists and surest of guides.” — Michael Kimmel, author of Angry White Men and Guyland “World-changing and life-changing for women and for the men who make a stand.” — Gary Barker, founder and CEO of Promundo, Washington D.C. and member of the UN Secretary-General’s Network of Men Leaders “Being a male feminist isn’t an option. It’s a requirement, a duty, and a calling. This is not a book about history. This is a book about the future, and a guide on how to get there. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Michael, not just for being the messenger, but for spending his life living the message.” — Andy Dunn, co-founder and CEO of Bonobos men’s clothing stores “This book is a timely, incisive, and accessible wake-up call for men around the world. One of the things I’m asked most commonly in my work is: where are the men discussing these issues? Why aren’t more men taking up this cause? Where is the book that will speak to men about this topic? Well they don't need to wait any longer. That book is here. It is vital reading for men everywhere and I hope it will support new wave of men and boys to become part of a battle that is as much theirs as it is women’s.” — Laura Bates, writer and founder of Everyday Sexism About the Author: For three and a half decades, Michael Kaufman has been a pioneer in engaging men to promote gender equality. He is the co-founder of the White Ribbon Campaign, the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women. As a writer and speaker, he has worked across America and in almost fifty countries, including extensively with the United Nations and numerous governments, NGOs, and businesses. He is currently a Senior Fellow with the gender justice institute Promundo. He delivered the keynotes at the United Nations’ 2016 and 2017 Women Empowerment Principles events. He is the author or editor of eight books on gender issues, democracy, and development studies, including The Guy’s Guide to Feminism, Theorizing Masculinities, and Cracking the Armor: Power, Pain and the Lives of Men. He lives in Toronto. Excerpt: Fifty years of feminist organizing came to a head in early 2017. Millions of women and hundreds of thousands of men greeted the election of Donald Trump with some of the largest demonstrations the United States has ever seen. People joined in around the world. They were not only reacting to Trump’s boast of assaulting women but also were there to celebrate the impact of feminism and to show they would resist any attempts to roll back progress on women’s rights. The people in the streets and the tens of millions more who cheered in support inserted new life into decades of feminism and powered everything that was to come. Within months, revelations of sexual harassment and assault poured out of Silicon Valley; the film, theater, and TV industries; and the corporate world at home and abroad. The betrayal of trust, abuse of authority, and the denigration of women by men in positions of power pounded into our brains. As #MeToo and #TimesUp captured our attention, discussions quickly moved from newsrooms to dining rooms, staff rooms, and locker rooms. Men asked wives, daughters, and coworkers: Did anything like that ever happen to you? and a frightening number of women answered, Yes, of course, but why has it taken men so long to listen? The spreading shock waves are giving new impetus to demands in our workplaces for equal pay and equal access to all jobs. The millennia-long affirmative action program for my half of the species simply can’t go on. The shock waves are bringing new energy to concerns about the panoply of violence— verbal, sexual, emotional, physical—that countless women still experience. They are bringing more attention to the critical need for quality, affordable childcare and for parental leave. And for men? More and more of us are realizing we cannot stay silent. We know we must speak out and we must examine our own attitudes and behaviors. But we’re also realizing that it’s time to rethink and reshape what it means to be a man because of the destructive and self-destructive ways we’ve defined manhood. |