In the last year Beyond Equality...

Delivered 1058 workshops and seminars
Worked with 197 partner organisations

Facilitated learning for over 12,500 people with our transformative workshops

Created 1,190,972 impressions on social media.

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Download full report here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LPkmdjUD9n1OcEMKsIegM6Hmm5ALVvVb/view?usp=sharing

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In recent years, many have spoken of a so-called “crisis in masculinity.”

From academia to politics to the media, a growing chorus of voices are expressing concerns about men, particularly as evidence has mounted that men and boys, statistically speaking, experience worse physical and mental health (e.g. Movember’s The Real Faces of Men’s Health), higher rates of social isolation, and higher risks of radicalisation or perpetrating violence against themselves or others - with the IPCC highlighting the continued rise in violence against women and girls (VAWG), with perpetrators overwhelmingly men.

The cultural conversations following Netflix series Adolescence resonated widely because it portrayed the deep loneliness, insecurity and disconnection many teenage boys experience - and the very real risk that these vulnerabilities can make boys susceptible to radicalisation by misogynistic influences online, with devastating consequences for women and girls. While fictional, its themes reflect troubling realities.

Research such as the Safer Scrolling report reminds us how easily boys - especially those already vulnerable - are drawn into harmful online ecosystems, where algorithms amplify misogynistic content and normalise it. The IPCC has highlighted the continued rise in violence against women and girls (VAWG), with perpetrators overwhelmingly men.

The evidence is clear and compelling, that men in the UK experience starkly poor physical and mental health outcomes. Too many men still feel unable to ask for help, and when they do, they too often encounter health systems that reinforce stereotypes instead of offering meaningful support.

Yet, crisis thinking won't lead to solutions for this problem.

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We can do better for our men and boys.

At Beyond Equality, we know men and boys’ poor health, emotional struggles, loneliness, and their use of violence are rooted in the same rigid masculine norms.

Too often, boys and men are taught that there is only one acceptable way to be male: invulnerable, dominant, aggressive and competitive. In this worldview, success is measured by power over others. If we are to improve outcomes for men and boys - and disrupt the cycle of violence - they must be supported to challenge these norms, to reflect on their own values, and to make intentional choices about the kind of men they want to be.

That is the work Beyond Equality does every day. For more than a decade, we have been creating spaces where men and boys can rethink masculinity. Where they can find their role in creating an equitable and safer society, and develop new ways to care for themselves and others.

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This year, we have seen unprecedented momentum across society: conversations with policymakers, academics, educators, parents, carers and community leaders; the Department for Education mandating that schools address misogyny within the RSHE curriculum; and renewed calls across the VAWG prevention sector for primary prevention approaches that actively engage men and boys.

Most importantly, we have seen thousands of men and boys step into this work with us - whether in schools, universities, workplaces or community groups - reflecting deeply on their roles and relationships, and taking action to create more equitable cultures.

We have never seen such coordinated interest in rethinking masculinities, but the stakes could not be higher. Men and boys are struggling, and some are causing real harm to women, girls and marginalised genders. This must change - and it must change now.

We are proud to be part of a growing movement, and grateful to our staff, partners, collaborators and supporters who make this work possible. Rethinking masculinities is collective work: it takes courage, persistence and many hands. There is more to be done, and at Beyond Equality we stand ready to meet this moment. We hope you will join us.

I invite you to read about our impact through this report, and to join in the Beyond Equality mission by becoming a donor, supporter or inviting us to work with your organisation.

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