Two in five Irish men hold 'traditionalist' views - Women's Aid

New research into attitudes, influence, and well-being among Irish men shows that two in five hold ‘traditionalist’ views.

This includes agreeing or being unsure on statements such as “men who don’t dominate in relationships aren’t real men” (52 per cent), “a man’s worth is measured by power and control over others” (54 per cent), and “real men shouldn’t have to care about women’s opinions or feelings” (46 per cent).

Of these ‘traditionalist’ men, 70 per cent believe that women’s issues are exaggerated, according to Women's Aid.

Compared to the “moderate” group (three in five men), traditionalists are more likely to be younger men, with 67 per cent of men aged 18-29 years old holding more traditional views, or less certain about more moderate views.

This trend suggests that younger men may be more influenced by contemporary online figures who promote traditional masculinity.

Women’s Aid launched the new research in partnership with Core. It is titled 'Evolving Manhood: Attitudes, Influence, and Well-being Among Irish Men'.

The main focus was to further understand men’s attitudes to women and manhood, the researchers surveyed 1,000 adults, representative of the Irish adult population, who were asked several questions about perceptions of manhood and the attitudes men express.

It found that 61 per cent of men in Ireland have low levels of agreement with more traditional views of manhood, such as “Men should be the ones to bring money home to provide for their families, not women,” “Guys should act strong even if they feel scared or nervous inside,” and “A man who talks a lot about his worries, fears, and problems shouldn’t really get respect.”

Women's Aid said this highlights the evolving views men have about male identity, a more moderate view of masculinity. However, 39 per cent of men agree or are uncertain about these perceptions of manhood and can be classified as “traditionalists.”

In general, young men in Ireland are turning to digital forums, YouTube and podcasts to learn about topics, including their identity and role in society, Women's Aid said.

Speaking about the findings, Finian Murphy, from Core Research, said: “This research reveals how most men in Ireland have an evolved view of manhood, away from traditional attitudes of strength, stoicism and being the primary provider.

"However, with two in five men holding these attitudes, particularly younger men, there is a link with attitudes that can be harmful towards women, children, and men themselves.

"As we mark 50 years of Women's Aid's important work, there is an opportunity for more men to become advocates for change and encourage younger men to be more moderate in their views."

Women's Aid

On Thursday, Women’s Aid, a national frontline organisation working to prevent and address domestic abuse including coercive control in Ireland, marked its 50th Anniversary with a one-day landmark conference in Dublin city centre.

The organisation, which was founded in 1974 by the late Nuala Fennell, conservatively estimates that it has responded to at least 600,000 contacts from women across generations.

Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women’s Aid said: “The 50th Anniversary of the foundation of Women’s Aid truly is an opportune moment in time to reflect on where Ireland is at, in the continuing work to combat male violence against women and to achieve gender equality.

"We have made much progress but there is so much more to do. Gender-based violence remains a scourge on Irish society and limits the potential of all women and girls affected. In Ireland, one in three women suffer psychological abuse (FRA, 2014) and one in four women have experienced sexual violence from a partner (CSO, 2023).

"Women’s Aid research found that one in five young women had experienced abuse by an intimate partner before the age of 25. Over half of these young women experienced the abuse under the age of 18.

"This should not be ‘a fact of life’. We have, within our grasp, a unique opportunity to really create a zero tolerance of violence and create an equal society for women and girls. Crucially, we need more male leaders across all sectors and strata in society to step up and become a strong voice to call out everyday sexism, misogyny and gender inequality.”