Underestimating Men: Pessimism about Support for Gender Equality in Morocco and Beyond

Announced by the University of Pittsburgh

In recent decades, governments worldwide, including those in the Middle East, have accelerated the adoption of women’s rights policies, despite significant resistance and backlash. Amidst these trends, a critical but often overlooked issue emerges: widespread public pessimism about support for gender equality, especially among men. In this Crown Seminar, Carolyn Barnett, in conversation with Lindsay J. Benstead, will explore how perceptions of men’s opposition to women’s rights and gender equality are often overstated in Morocco and beyond. Barnett will examine how high-profile debates over women’s rights reforms amplify these misconceptions by disproportionately highlighting conservative voices. She will discuss how this pessimism shapes policy implementation, interpersonal behavior, and the strategies of women’s rights advocates.