Not Just by Her Side: Can Men Be Feminists?
Can men be feminists?
This question has followed me through the past months — through late-night writing sessions, long walks across Prague, and countless conversations with strangers. What started as a research question soon became a much deeper reflection on empathy, masculinity, and change. It also became the foundation of my new menswear collection, Not Just by Her Side.
From Research to Reflection
The project began as part of my qualitative research on how men perceive feminism today. I wanted to explore not only what men think about gender equality but also how they position themselves in relation to it.
I went to the streets of Prague — specifically to the main train station — and spoke with forty men of different ages, backgrounds, and professions. My questions were simple:
Do men and women deserve the same rights and opportunities?
Do you support access to safe and legal abortion?
Do you believe that women’s choices should be valued equally to men’s?
And finally: Do you consider yourself a feminist?
Most men agreed with the first three questions. They believed in equality, in fairness, in respect. But when I asked whether they were feminists, the tone changed. Smiles became hesitant, answers softened. Almost none of them identified with the word. For many, feminist still carried the weight of anger, of accusation, of extremism — a misunderstanding that has long haunted the movement.
A Story That Stayed With Me
Among all these encounters, one conversation stayed with me the most. I interviewed a man in his seventies — a self-described “privileged white American male.” He told me how, in his youth, he had never questioned gender roles. He believed he was supportive simply by not being openly sexist. But as he grew older, as his wife became an activist and as his daughters challenged him, he began to see the world differently.
He said something I’ll never forget:
“I used to think feminism was about women fighting against men. Now I understand it’s about all of us fighting against inequality.”
He now proudly calls himself a feminist. His transformation reminded me that change is possible — that awareness isn’t born overnight, but shaped through love, humility, and time.
Fashion as Conversation
Not Just by Her Side is not just a garment — it’s a conversation. It’s a reminder that allyship doesn’t always mean standing in the spotlight, but sometimes standing quietly beside others, offering support, and choosing respect over ego.
Fashion has always reflected society, but it can also challenge it. I believe that clothing has the power to carry emotion and meaning — to become a medium for dialogue. The more we merge research, storytelling, and design, the closer we come to fashion that not only dresses but speaks.
Looking Forward
This project gave me something I didn’t expect: hope.
Hope that men can be part of the feminist movement not through slogans, but through everyday choices — through how they speak, act, and see the women around them. Hope that we can move from blame to collaboration.
The final outfit stands as a symbol of that belief: that feminism is not about division, but connection. That the future of gender equality depends not only on women fighting harder, but on men learning to stand with them — not just by her side, but on the same side.
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