Jens van Tricht
(1969) studied women's studies at the University of Amsterdam. He specializes in men and masculinity: academically, personally, professionally and through activism. He is the founder and director of Emancipator, an organization that promotes men's emancipation. In his words: "I am an idealist, an anarchist and a feminist. I believe in a better world. And I believe that all of us must strive to achieve this." His book Waarom feminisme goed is voor mannen (Why Feminism is Good for Men, 2018) argues for the emancipation of both women and men. According to him, "real men" still feel the need to be tough, self-confident, strong and independent. The must work hard, and never cry and nor show any vulnerability. It prevents many men from fully being themselves, which also has destructive consequences on a societal level. In this book, Van Tricht defends everyone's freedom to break free of restrictive expectations and to use all their talents.
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Masculinity in Crisis
Are there still angry men at this festival!?! - with Jens van Tricht, Raoul de Jong, Linda Duits and Robin Block
While all kinds of emancipation are taking place at great speed, one group seems to be missing the boat: the white, heterosexual, cisgender man. Until recently, this group was in charge and able to say anything, but now more and more often feels silenced and unheard. And naturally, that leads to anger and sadness. In this panel discussion we addressed the question of why young men more and more frequently find connection in (online) subcultures such as inceldom (involuntary celibacy). In many cases, loneliness and an inflated idea of masculinity play a role.
Has the emancipation of all non-men (and others) led to a crisis of masculinity? How can we better understand angry men - via empathy? And why, actually, are there so few men on stage at Winternachten? Autor and researcher Linda Duits discussesed this matter with as many as three men at once. While they are not representatives of the angry white hetero male, they are experts in all aspects of masculinity. First of all, there was poet and musician Robin Block, who heads a men's group in his free time and knows all too well how important a "community" of their own is for men. He was joined by Jens van Tricht, author and founder of the men's emancipation platform Emancipator, who can explain in great detail why men need feminism. Author and dancer Raoul de Jong was already the subject of documentary about masculinity in 2005 and brings another perspective: do we even still need to talk about masculinity and femininity as if they were mutually exclusive?
Together, in this event they opened the discussion on a phenomenon that, as we all know, can elicit a great deal of resistance. But this was an important topic under the banner of the Whose House is This? theme. We need everyone - men, women, and those who don't feel at home in these categories, angry or not - to make up an equitable society. Therefore, it was time to understand and get to know angry men better.Dutch spoken.