Broadening the scope but reasserting male privilege? Potential patriarchal pitfalls of inclusive approaches to gender-based violence

Abstract

Sexual violence against men and boys (SVAMB) in conflict has in recent years become a prominent topic in research and on the international policy stage. Simultaneously, there has been a slow but steady increase of attention to gendered harms against persons of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). These shifts, albeit slow and belated, are in many ways welcome and overdue. However, while broadening the scope of addressing the needs of gender-based violence survivors and acknowledging their victimhood is essential, there are several risks involved, in particular in terms of reasserting the centrality of male privilege. One risk is that work on SVAMB intentionally or unintentionally obscures the needs of women, girls, and persons of other gender identities. The second is an emerging trend of homogenizing diverse SOGIESC experiences, conflating these with SVAMB and invisibilizing women of diverse SOGIESC. Third, we argue, some of the work with male survivors carries a “re-masculinizing” message that often chimes with survivors’ wishes, but risks re-establishing heteronormative and latently misogynist and homophobic norms. We explore the salience of this wish for “re-masculinization” but also possible alternative approaches that address men’s legitimate concerns without reinforcing misogyny and homophobia.

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