Exploring Masculinities: Are Outdated Norms Holding Us Back?

By Estelle Loiseau and Carolin Beck, Policy analysts, OECD Development Centre What does it mean to be a "real" man? This complex question opens up a conversation about masculinities: those shared beliefs about how men - and women - should behave, often deeply ingrained within societies. These notions vary over time, place, and cultures, and can either support gender equality or uphold patriarchal norms that limit women's rights and opportunities and restrict the potential of men and women alike.