Men responded in a variety of ways to first-wave feminism and to the societal changes in late 19th and early 20th century United States.
For an example, see Thomas Wentworth Higginson, particularly his essay “Ought Women to learn the Alphabet?,” which appeared in the Atlantic Monthly (February, 1859).
[4] Since the latter half of the 20th century, more pro-feminists around the world have become involved in advocating for various causes typically associated with feminism, including but not limited to anti-rape and anti-violence activism, as well as challenging the sexualization of women in the media.
Many of these activities have been chronicled in a variety of publications and books, including, since 1983, Voice Male magazine, edited by Rob Okun, himself a long-time pro-feminist.
[5] Marge Piercy (1969) argued that liberal male politicians will sometimes espouse feminist claims to gain votes, despite dubious backgrounds and actions.
[7] An area of feminist social work in which some pro-feminist men have participated is preventing violence against women, and supporting its survivors.
Anti-violence activists work in shelters for battered women, counseling survivors, rehabilitating perpetrators and spreading awareness of the issue.
Many male activists[8] support these anti-violence campaigns on two strong fronts: first, that violence against women concerns all people, regardless of gender; and secondly, that more attention should be paid to the social environments that produce perpetrators.
Much literature[11][12] about male anti-rape activists involves men experiencing epiphanies about the emotional and psychological impact rape inflicts on its victims.
They suggest that the normalization of male-dominated, violent, and degrading sexual acts has led users of pornography to incorporate violence into their own lives.
[15] Pro-feminists may assert that these trends in pornography are reflected by increased acts of sexual violence; and also contribute to normalizing rape culture.
As with some areas of feminism, pro-feminists may also believe that pornography reduces women and teenage girls to sex objects.
Pro-feminists assume that class, race, sexuality, age and other such things are important influences on the relations between and among men and women.