The head of government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, has announced the creation of the School of New Masculinities, an initiative aimed at teaching men the same skills as women in the area of family care. This proposal seeks to challenge and dismantle the so-called 'patriarchal pact,' promoting a more equitable distribution of responsibilities at home. The announcement was made in the context of International Care and Support Day, with the goal of highlighting the issue of caregiving tasks, which often disproportionately fall on women. Brugada Molina pointed out that this unequal role assigned by society is one of the main barriers to closing the gaps of inequality between men and women.
During her speech, the head of government emphasized that the School of New Masculinities will offer workshops designed to raise awareness about caregiving and family roles. The proposal includes the development of skills in areas such as empathy, emotional management, and responsibility. The workshops will address fundamental topics such as the influence of society on the creation of masculine gender roles, how toxic masculinity affects self-esteem and self-concept, the repression of emotions in the differentiated socialization of men, strategies for managing and expressing emotions healthily, the importance of men taking on their role as caregivers, and reflections on daily caregiving practices.
The goal of New Masculinities is to reduce violence against women by including men in the fight for gender equality and making them more active participants in eradicating different forms of violence against women. The concept of New Masculinities has generated extensive debate in society. Jokin Azpiazu, a reference in rethinking masculine identity, suggests that the idea is best understood through the concept of 'hybrid masculinities,' which advocates for a more inclusive and flexible approach to masculinity. With this initiative, the government of Mexico City seeks to promote a cultural change that fosters gender equality and greater shared responsibility in caregiving and household tasks.
