Michael Kimmel

### **Biography**

Born on February 26, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York. Kimmel is married to Amy Aronson, a Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Fordham University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Vassar College (1972), a Master of Arts (M.A.) from Brown University (1974), and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of California, Berkley (1981). He is the Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Stony Brook University in Stone Brook, New York. Kimmel is the founder and editor of the academic journal *Men and Masculinities*, and has done many writings on masculinity and gender studies.He is a long time feminist, and is a spokesperson for the National Organization for Men Against Sexism. He founded and is the Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University. One of Kimmel's main focuses is to be an advocate of engaging men to support gender equality.

### **Famous Publications**

Kimmel has authored numerous articles and books dealing with gender studies and gender equality. Some of his notable works are Manhood In America, Angry White Men, The Guy's Guide to Feminism, The Gendered Society, etc. In Manhood In America, Kimmel talks about the changing social roles of men in the United States from the time of colonialism to modern day. Angry White Men addresses how white men in 21st-century America have been enraged and angered over the rise in social equality and their loss of social and economic advantage. The Guy's Guide to Feminism tries to help men gain a better understanding of feminism, and also tries to explain why feminism would change men's lives for the better, and why men should support it. Lastly, in The Gendered Society, Kimmel talks about the basic beliefs of gender, and argues that men and women are more alike than we think. These are only a few of the many writings that Michael Kimmel has penned over his professional career.

http://www.michaelkimmel.com/works/

### **Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men**

Probably Kimmel's most famous and recognizable writing is Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men, which was published in 2008. The book talks about a study Kimmel did, where he interviewed 400 men aged 16 to 26 (mostly white, middle class) and found a trend where young men increasingly delay adulthood. In the book, Kimmel notes that in 1960, close to 70% of men in the U.S. had left home, completed their educations, were in a relationship/married, and started work all by the age of 30. In contrast, less than 1/3 of men reach these goals before the age of 30. Kimmel says that this is due to young men being reluctant to grow up because they see adult life as something as a loss of enjoyment and leisure time. To avoid adult life and the responsibilities that come with it, Kimmel writes that young men retreat to "Guyland." He states that Guyland is a place where "guys gather to be guys with each other, unhassled by the demands of parents, girlfriends, jobs, kids, and the other nuisances of adult life." He talks about how young white men have a feeling of "thwarted entitlement", in which they believe that women and minorities have taken away what they perceive to be white male jobs and positions. He also writes about the harassment and rape of women in Guyland.

### **Notable Achievements and Positions**

Including the many writings Kimmel has done over the years, he has also has achieved many things and gained many positions in organizations and universities today. He holds the position of Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Stony Brook University. He founded the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University in 2013. Kimmel is a prominent spokesperson, and has done lectures at more than 300 colleges, universities, and high schools, along with a special lecture during International Women's Day at the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the Council of Europe. Adding on to this, he has also worked with the Ministers for Gender Equality of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden to help develop programs for boys and men. Many corporations, public sector organizations, and non-governmental organizations consult with him on gender equity issues. Kimmel founded the academic journal *Men and* *Masculinities,* and also was was voted the "Best Professor" at Berkley by the Daily Californian. He was dubbed "the world's most prominent male feminist" by The Guardian (London). These are just some of the many things he has done.

### **Critics**

Just like many people who have views about certain things, there are people who are critical and oppose those views. One of Michael Kimmel's critics is Peter Allemano, a member of the National Coalition For Men, who talks about Kimmel's book, Guyland, and also the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities Kimmel founded. Peter Allemano is opposed to Michael Kimmel's ideas in Guyland and says that "It is through a combination of neatly interwoven tacks that Kimmel navigates the tricky process of passing off a brutal — and very shallow — portrait of young males as a thoughtful assessment." He says that Kimmel attacks the dignity of young American males and paints them as scoundrels. He also talks about how Kimmel writes about the rape and harassment of women, but does not talk about how young men can be victimized by the opposite gender. Allemano then talks about Kimmel's Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities, and talks about how it is a feminist brainwashing center, and that the center is made up of only radical feminists who push their political agendas into the people who attend the center.

### **Sources**

* http://www.michaelkimmel.com/biography/
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael\_Kimmel
* https://www.ted.com/speakers/michael\_kimmel
* https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/michael-kimmel-is-out-to-show-why-feminism-is-good-for-men/2015/03/08/bedd603e-c50f-11e4-9271-610273846239\_story.html?utm\_term=.db227257af05
* https://www.pbs.org/kued/nosafeplace/interv/kimmel.html
* https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/27/michael-kimmel-masculinity-far-right-angry-white-men
* https://www.today.com/health/boys-men-why-guys-arent-growing-2D80556234
* https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/about-fathers/200811/michael-kimmels-sketchy-tour-guyland
* https://bepl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en\_US/default/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD\_ILS$002f0$002fSD\_ILS:860705/ada
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angry\_White\_Men
* http://guysguidetofeminism.com/
* https://books.google.com/books/about/The\_Gendered\_Society.html?id=TWdlPgAACAAJ
* Kimmel, Michael S. *Guyland the Perilous World Where Boys Become Men ;* Harper, 2010.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyland#cite\_note-msnbc-1
* http://ncfm.org/2013/05/action/ncfm-member-peter-alamano-expose-of-michael-kimmels-misandric-guyland/