A group of federal, state, and European politicians within the Green Party has published a manifesto outlining a desire to develop a new, positive perception of masculinity. The group-which comprises nine men and four women, including party leader Franziska Brantner and her predecessor Ricarda Lang-is reviewing and moving away from the party’s past portrayal of manhood.
The authors state that the intense focus on the fight for women’s rights unintentionally led to neglecting the issue of masculinity itself. They have defined what masculine traits should not include: violence, dominance, or oppression. However, they criticize previous efforts for failing to offer an alternative blueprint for how men could conduct themselves.
“We created a vacuum,” the manifesto reads, “and into this vacuum, old images are now flowing back.” The group argues that merely being against toxic masculinity and scoffing at its proponents is insufficient; rather, there is a need to establish a positive notion of what good masculinity entails.
Co-party leader Felix Banaszak told Spiegel that he understands the frustration many women feel towards men. “But it becomes problematic when the left side generalizes by saying: ‘As a man, you are the problem and you always will be,'” he asserted. According to Banaszak, progressive circles must cultivate their own positive understanding of masculinity-one that is not merely defined by what it lacks.
Green political figure Anton Hofreiter added his critique, pointing out that in progressive settings, masculinity is often automatically associated with the label “toxic.” He lamented that men are frequently rejected and dismissed based solely on who they are, rather than judging their specific words or actions.
