OUR DESIRE
With this III International Congress on Masculinities and Equality: Communication, Culture and Audiovisual Media (CIMASCIGUAL III), we would like to invite the media, the audiovisual industry, the performing arts, universities, municipalities, associations (women’s, feminist and men’s associations for equality) and other entities to introduce a gender perspective and a feminist perspective and to focus on involving men in the struggle for equality, Universities, municipalities, associations (women’s, feminist and men’s associations for equality) and other entities to introduce the gender perspective and the feminist perspective and to focus on involving men in the struggle for equality between women and men and to present references of masculinities in favor of gender equality that allow us to transform the mandate of hegemonic, patriarchal, macho masculinity into other masculinities that are pro-egalitarian.
Men must be involved in achieving real equality. the overcoming of an outdated model of traditional masculinity, and the transition to other possible and more equal ways of being a man in our society. Some recent events, both nationally and globally, have highlighted the urgent need to include men in the struggle for equality.
The #Metoo movement has been a turning point in the identification, recognition and denunciation of the violence suffered by women in the audiovisual industry. This global phenomenon has marked an important break with impunity and the corresponding “law of silence”, phenomena that have unbrokenly supported the position of male figures of recognized prestige. Cases such as that of Harvey Weinstein opened the door for many women to overcome the fear and risks of exposing or denouncing such aggressions. However, this movement has not remained limited to the film industry, or even to the country where it was born (the United States), but has managed to break down territorial barriers and has promoted the denunciation and public reporting of violent behavior by men in different audiovisual industries, including the Spanish one.
It is precisely at this time of manifest questioning of masculinity that it is undoubtedly more necessary and urgent to appeal to institutions that, by virtue of the scope of their work and their capacity to influence society, can and should play a key role in transforming the hegemonic model of man and masculinity towards other possible ways of being a man, more in line with the present times, times of feminist struggle.
Therefore, among our goals are
- To make visible the importance of the non-formal education (socialization) of the media and audiovisuals in the comprehension and understanding of the logics of masculine identity (traditional-hegemonic) and its processes of resistance and/or change, in order to be able to evolve, from a scientific-social knowledge, towards other possible forms of masculinity, more in accordance with the gender equality of women and men and healthier and fairer with all and with all.
- Stimulating a rethinking of masculinity among professionals in the audiovisual and communication sectors.
- To promote the involvement of researchers in this new field of interdisciplinary study of audiovisuals and masculinities, based on the knowledge that will be given at the Congress of the reality of this sub-discipline of gender studies.
- Involve universities in this line of action research.
- Disseminate the work carried out in the media (radio, print, social networks, local television) to make it known and increase the social impact of the action.
- Increase the impact and participation of the Congress at the international level.
On the other hand, the Congress aims to deepen the role of the university in this very specific, but at the same time urgent issue. A better knowledge of the logics of traditional-hegemonic masculinity is needed in order to appeal to its deconstruction and to propose, collectively and from scientific knowledge, valid, diverse and equal options for being a man in the 21st century, and the academy must play a central role in this process, focusing on men with a feminist perspective.
Dr. Anastasia Téllez Infantes
President of the Organizing Committee.