This site is the result of more than a decade of ground level work with men in North India --- on the issues of gender and sexual health, accompanied by in-depth research on the subject of men and masculinity as well as those of gender, sexuality, femininity, women and third gender including their nature, history and contemporary situation in various cultures.

OUR OBJECTIVES

The objective of this site is to:

Explore the issues of men and masculinity and how they relate with the issues of women, third gender, the society as a whole and nature (including environment).
Spread awareness on the issues of concerns of men --- particularly amongst men, but also targeting women and the third gender.
Organise men around these issues.
To work (through men) towards changing the vulnerability and disempowerment of men and also of women and the third gender.
To involve men in the reclaiming their environment.
To create and social space where men can seek help and support on issues for which till now they had no social space.

There are 3 kinds of groups who call their field of work "masculinity". They are so different from each other in their nature and scope that using the same name for their work does create confusion.

1. Those working for women: The first and perhaps the majority is of those whose work on masculinity is directed towards making men fit into feminist ideals. They are the majority not because they represent the majority of men, but because they have a social space and a voice. These men are not really concerned about men. They are interested in men only so far as to reduce the gender and social differences between men and women and to secure men's co-operation in securing the goals of feminism which are valid in many cases --- but oppressive, unethical and anti-men in many others.

It is rather odd to call their work 'masculinity' and misleading too. For they are actually working for females and not males. Their approaches and activities are basically not male oriented and sometimes not male-friendly at all.

This group is powerful because it has the backing of feminists and lots of state funding.

2. The Third Gender Groups: There are some homosexual (i.e. the feminine gendered) groups, especially western oriented groups working in Asia, who call their work "masculinity" too. It is as odd as the case of the group above, because almost all of their work involves issues of male-femininity and the third gender in these societies.

None of the above two groups really care for the issues or plight of masculine gendered men. Both of them view them with suspicion. Neither of the two groups really understands either men or masculinity.

This group is also powerful in its own way, because the 'homosexual' community in the west is pretty well organised. This group is also lots of funds and support because of the HIV/AIDS issue.

3. There is an emerging kind of masculinity work --- and we believe that it is the most appropriate group to use the term. This group is actually concerned about men and their issues, concerns and plight.

Modern societies have discarded natural masculinity long ago and it does not really care for men or their issues. Therefore, there is no agency willing to fund work on men. Most such groups are run by people who have seen the pain, the helplessness and the vulnerability of being a man in this modern world and as a result of that intense experience have devoted their life, their time and their own savings to create awareness on these issues. They are working selflessly for years without any recognition or support.

We proudly consider ourselves to be a part of this group.

While theoretically it is possible to have a negative view of masculinity â one that is anti women and anti third-gender, we do not subscribe to this view.

We wish to work for an ideal society, a society where every human and human aspect has a place. We want women and third gender women to have freedom and dignified space in the society. And we wish the same for men.

We may oppose women (feminism) or the third gender when we feel that their actions are unwarranted or not conducive to the rights or space of men. But it does not mean we are anti-women. We look forward to a dialogue with women and the third gender. And we wish to have society where we can mutually love and respect each other as men, women and third gender.