Is It Possible to Be a Feminist Man Today in Europe?

This question comes back to me over and over again. In a world increasingly defined by polarization and the rise of the far right – where feminism is often mocked, misrepresented, or even criminalized – taking a public stand for equality has become a political act in itself. Today, calling oneself a feminist man can easily turn you into a target. You’re either labelled as naïve, performative, or a radical leftist.

Anti-feminist movements are gaining ground by distorting the meaning of equality. They claim that feminism is no longer about balance but about revenge – that women want to overthrow men from positions of power. Because, in the end, what truly frightens some is not injustice, but the idea that privilege might no longer be exclusively theirs.

Meanwhile, the data remind us that equality is far from achieved. Recent findings from the World Economic Forum show just how steep the climb remains for women. According to its Global Gender Gap Report, it will take another 134 years to close the gender gap worldwide if progress continues at the current pace (World Economic Forum, 2025).

Across the European Union, women hold only 33.4% of national parliamentary seats, compared to 27.8% a decade ago (Eurostat, 2025). The progress is evident, yes, but painfully slow.

For instance, in Belgium’s current “Arizona” coalition, not a single woman serves as Vice Prime Minister (Johecová, 2025), being a striking regression in one of Europe’s most progressive countries.

Within the European Parliament, women now account for 38.5% of MEPs, a slight drop from the previous term, but the first significant drop since direct elections started in 1979. Good news comes from the European Commission, where progress has been remarkably made toward gender balance: women now hold around 48-49% of management positions (Mácsai, 2024), placing it among the rare public administrations in the world where leadership is nearly shared equally between women and men. Additionally, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has become the first EU institution to fully endorse the body to formally endorse the Declaration of Principles for a Gender-Equal Society, backing the European Commission’s Roadmap for Women’s Rights.

During the first week of November (3-7 November), the European Parliament celebrated EU Gender Equality Week under the theme “It’s time to turn things around”. The week’s debates and events focused on one essential question: how can we finally ensure that women’s skills and potential are fully recognised?

Real men are feminists. Photo by Teo Zac on Unsplash

Among the highlights was the event “Facing the Talent Gap: Creating the Conditions for Every Talent to Shine,” which brought together remarkable women whose journeys redefine what leadership and resilience look like. Solange Fugger, the youngest head physician in Italy and a social media influencer with over half a million TikTok followers, reminded the audience that “change begins where resistance is stronger.” Michaela Benthaus, a German space engineer who will become the first differently abled person to fly in space, spoke about overcoming the limits that others set for you. Jessica Pirker, an Austrian computer scientist named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe (2018) for her work in improving digital education through virtual reality (Eigner, 2018), described how technology can open doors for inclusion. Gelsomina Vigliotti, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, addressed the power of finance to drive equality, and Isabelle Le Galo Flores, the first female Secretary-General of the EESC, reflected on leading institutional change from within (European Parliament, 2025).

Their words and presence captured the essence of equality, and the creation of real spaces where every individual can thrive, without barriers.

This message resonates deeply with me. My  mother’s professional achievements are not only the result of the women who came before her – the firsts of their kind who broke invisible ceilings – but also an inspiration for the generations that follow. My sister, whose determination and courage I deeply admire, will one day be a first of her kind too. My girlfriend already is the first doctor – allergist – in her family, being an example of perseverance, talent, and quiet strength. And in my professional environment, I am surrounded by incredible women – all of them remarkably talented. They remind me that leadership and empathy are not mutually exclusive, and that feminism is not abstract; it’s lived experience.

Yet, beyond these personal examples, the broader climate of debate is becoming increasingly toxic. Conspiracy theories targeting women in power – from Brigitte Macron (Goury-Laffont 2025) and Begoña Gómez  (Aduriz, 2023) (Spanish Prime Minister's wife) to Michelle Obama (Chitre, 2025) – claim they were “born male.” These absurd accusations reveal something deeper: a fear of the feminine, and a transphobic impulse that equates gender diversity with moral corruption. Even if these women were trans, why should it matter? What does it say about us that the very idea of a trans woman in power is treated as scandalous?

Still, there are reasons for hope. Women like Roberta Metsola and Ursula von der Leyen are redefining what leadership looks like across EU institutions. They embody a new generation of female power that combines conviction, competence, and compassion proving that equality, while fragile, is advancing not through slogans, but through example.

So, can a man still be a feminist today? I believe so, but it demands humility. Being a feminist man is not about claiming a label or speaking on behalf of women; it is about listening, questioning one’s own privileges, and choosing to stand up when silence would be more comfortable.

It also means accepting that this is a lifelong process: one of learning, unlearning, and growing. Even as I write these words, I know I still have much to understand, to adapt to, and to keep supporting.

Feminism is not, and should not be a war between genders. It is a shared commitment to justice and, ultimately, to our common humanity.And beyond conviction, it is also a duty: equality is a founding value of the European Union, enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. To defend equality, then, is not just a moral stance: it is to uphold the very principles that bind European Union together.

To be a feminist man today is not a contradiction. It is an act of conscience, of citizenship, and of belonging to the idea of Europe itself.

Bibliography

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