The WO&MEN@VU network strives for gender equality and would like to involve men in achieving this goal. Jeroen Geurts, our rector magnificus, attended the meeting on July 5 as he finds this a most important topic. Are you a man* and do you think gender equality is important too and do you have the guts to think and talk about societal gender roles and the impact on how we treat each other? Then please come to the fourth edition of Men Talk! on February 8, 2023.
During this men-only courageous conversation, questions like: What is nature, what is nurture? How do you see your role to contribute to a pleasant, gender-equal working and studying environment at VU? What do men need to be able to contribute? What kind of man would you like to be? How to include gender equality in VU policies, education and research, now and in the future? In short: an inspiring conversation how the male half of the VU community wants to shape gender diversity and change manners within VU.
We plan to make the subject a sustainable topic on the VU agenda. This is already the fourth Men Talk. The first one took place on September 16, 2021, the second on July 5, 2022, the third on September 8, 2022. The fourth edition was planned on November 24, 2022 and took place but moderator Jens van Tricht unfortunately was not able to be present. This is a new opportunity. This time the meeting is in Dutch. We also want to include the non-Dutch speaking community of VU in the conversation. Are you or do you know somebody who wants to participate in English, let us know, then we can organize the next one in English.
Men Talk is led by Jens van Tricht. He is the author of 'Why Feminism is Good for Men' and founder of Emancipator, an organization for men and emancipation. Students, PhD students, teachers, professors and staff are warmly invited to join the discussion. Men Talk will conclude with drinks in 3D when female colleagues and students will join.
*Men who identify as men or who are socialized as men
- Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2023
- Time: 15.30-17.00 h (walk-in from 15.00 h, drinks at 17.00 h)
- Location: Debate Centre 3D in W&N building at the campus square
- Attendees: Men (women are welcome at the drinks at 17.00 h)
- Moderator: Jens van Tricht (Founder/director of Emancipator and author of 'Why feminism is good for men', see also his interview in Ad Valvas (in Dutch)
- Language: Dutch
- Registration: send an email to women@vu.nl
- Participation: free
Previous participants of Men Talk said:
I experienced my participation in the session 'men talk' as inspiring. The group discussion [...] offered new insights into how men can play a more active role in promoting gender equality and how small things, such as how women are still sometimes talked about in soccer locker rooms, unconsciously forms a broad basis for misogynistic behaviour in society. [...] The whole group agreed that the image of the physically strong man who never cries, which still plays an (implicit) role in the education of boys, may definitely give way to a more nuanced image of what masculinity actually means. [...] I heartily recommend all men at the VU to participate in a future session, I will definitely be there again.
"At Men Talk, I learned what blind spots I myself have regarding women's empowerment. In addition, it was really nice to share experiences with other men and get new insights. It was nice to experience that everyone was susceptible and sensitive to the topic. The beautiful conversations have broadened my view and I have learned what I myself can do to contributed".