October 08, 2014

First ever men-only conference on gender equality? Sounds like progress

located:	Iceland, Suriname
editor:	Vanessa Ellingham

When Iceland's foreign minister announced at last week's UN General Assembly that his country would host the UN's first male-only conference on gender equality, surely he could have expected the backlash.

Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson was probably trying to pick up the torch ignited by actress Emma Watson in her viral speech last month which invited men to join the fight for gender equality.

And yet, in his attempt to gather men together to discuss the issue at a conference organised by Iceland and Suriname, he did the very thing gender equality condemns: he alienated half the population.

As feminism becomes increasingly mainstream - it was only this year that the movement became cool enough for Beyoncé to shimmy in front of a giant, lit up backdrop proclaiming 'FEMINIST' at the MTV Video Music Awards - it is easier for more people to jump on the bandwagon.

But they need to get the message right, and asking all the women to wait outside while the men get down to the real talk does not send the right signals.

The idea of specifically inviting men to take part is a smart one, because sexism involves everyone and we are learning more and more about men being oppressed by the same gender stereotypes which have held women back for centuries.

But women are the experts here and luckily Sveinsson has back-pedalled on his invitation, now saying women will be allowed in at least some of the sessions.

The conference, which the foreign minister has called an "experiment", will hopefully be in good hands - the World Economic Forum does rank Iceland first in its gender gap index.