What does masculinity have to do with it?: Men, fathers' rights groups, and the complexities of manhood

Research suggests that men and masculinity are in "crisis," because men's historically unquestioned privilege and patriarchal power are being challenged through advances toward equity for other groups. Yet, such scholarship does not sufficiently address the processes through which men may attempt to restore the power they feel has been lost. Through in-depth interviews, this research examines the experiences and beliefs of 14 men who were part of a rights-based social movement (i.e., fathers' rights movement). The resulting analysis highlights the barriers perceived as hindering men's fulfillment of ideal manhood and concludes with a consideration of these men's attempts to garner support for their movement and (re)claim more traditional masculinity. In sum, this research demonstrates the existence of a contradiction between situating these groups as a platform for men's advocacy and support and, in reality, their perpetuation and normalization of anti-women/feminist rhetoric through engaging in and upholding hegemonic masculinity and patriarchy.