The Burden Of Being Male - Karen Straugahn

Canadian Association for Equality: What does it mean to be a man? Not what it once did. The burdens and demands placed on men remain the same as they always were: Be a provider. Be a protector. Be competent. Be a leader. Be useful and self-sufficient. Be of service. Do that, and you used to be considered a good man. But these days, when men do not comply with these expectations, they’re vilified as man-babies, deadbeats and losers. And when they do comply, they’re castigated as chauvinists, troglodytes and tyrants. How are men supposed to construct a positive self-identity when they can’t win for losing?
Biography Karen Straughan is a renowned Canadian human rights activist, blogger and broadcaster focusing on gender and sexual politics. Her YouTube channel, girlwriteswhat, has over 180,000 subscribers, and more than 16 million video views, and her work has been presented in high school and university classrooms in the US, Canada and Ireland. A mother of three, Karen speaks out fearlessly on gender and equality with passion and clarity, refusing to back down when intimidated. As a female who has aligned herself with men’s issues awareness, Karen has been the target of hatred and campaigns of misinformation.