Empowered Women, Unprepared Men: Closing the Gap for True Equality

Empowered women – unprepared men?

A whole generation worked on empowering women but forgot to teach men on how to live with empowered women. We spent decades pushing for women’s empowerment. Women fought for education, careers, leadership positions, and the right to shape society on equal footing with men. Progress has been made.

But somewhere along the way, society forgot something crucial: while we were teaching women to rise, we weren’t teaching men how to live, work, and love alongside empowered women.

The result? A generation of women ready to step forward, and a generation of men who often feel threatened, confused, or left behind.

What Men Are Missing Out On

Too often, equality is framed as a zero-sum game — if women gain power, men must lose it. But in reality, empowered women don’t diminish men, they enrich them.

When men embrace equality and thrive with empowered partners, they unlock profound benefits:

• Better health: Studies show men in equitable, emotionally connected relationships experience lower stress, healthier hearts, and even longer lifespans.
• Deeper connection: Empowered women bring more honesty, emotional intelligence, and resilience into relationships, making partnerships stronger and more fulfilling.
• Shared responsibility: When women stand equally in family, work, and community, men no longer bear the crushing expectation of being sole providers or decision-makers.

Why Men Weren’t Prepared

If the benefits are so clear, why do so many men struggle with empowered women? The answer lies in how we raised them.

• Old scripts of masculinity
  Boys were told to be strong, stoic, dominant. They learned that “real men” lead, provide, and control — not collaborate.
• Few role models
  Generations of men rarely saw fathers, mentors, or public figures who thrived with strong, equal female partners. Without examples, many men feel lost when equality challenges traditional roles.
• One-sided change
  While girls were taught to aim higher, boys were not taught how to adjust when girls reached them. The social focus was on opening doors for women, not on teaching men how to share space once those doors were open.
• Media
  Media and culture still struggle to portray healthy, modern male–female dynamics without falling into stereotypes.

Empowerment for women alone is only half the story. As a result women are now left to do it all. While these great opportunities arise, all the invisible work, mental load, care taking and social management is stuck to them and they don’t seem to get away from it as fast as needed.

Building the Bridge

If we want equality to succeed, we must prepare men to see it not as a threat, but as an invitation to a richer life. That starts early, with how we raise boys, the role models we show them, and the spaces we create for men to unlearn outdated scripts.

Educating Boys

Educating boys isn’t about lectures — it’s about daily practice.

• In schools: Update curricula to include equality, consent, and partnership as living topics, not footnotes. Rotate leadership roles in group projects so boys grow used to being led by girls. Highlight women’s achievements in science, politics, and innovation so boys see them as natural equals.
• At home: Let boys see fathers cooking, cleaning, and co-parenting as equals. Teach emotional literacy — asking, “How do you feel?” instead of “Be tough.” Challenge stereotypes gently when they surface: if a boy says, “That’s a girl’s job,” ask, “Why do you think that?” and unpack the assumption.
• In culture: Give boys stories with strong female characters, from books to films. Celebrate collaboration in sports, not just winning. Teach digital literacy so boys can spot and reject toxic masculinity online.

When equality is normalized in school, home, and media, boys grow into men who see empowered women not as competitors, but as partners.

Role Models for Men

Representation matters. We need examples of what it looks like to thrive alongside empowered women:

• Barack Obama credits Michelle as his equal partner, showing that leadership and love can coexist with mutual respect.
• Justin Trudeau publicly identifies as a feminist, appointing a gender-balanced cabinet and modeling allyship in politics.
• Prince Harry has redefined tradition by supporting Meghan Markle’s independence, often taking the role of encourager rather than overshadowing her voice.
• Ashton Kutcher invests in women-led businesses, co-parents equally, and advocates for gender equality in tech.
• Bill Gates has long highlighted Melinda French Gates’ leadership in philanthropy, acknowledging her as an equal architect of the Gates Foundation.

These figures remind us: men don’t lose themselves by walking beside empowered women — they expand what’s possible.

Safe Conversations

Finally, men need spaces to ask questions and unlearn without shame. Equality isn’t automatic — it’s practiced through dialogue. Creating communities, workshops, or mentorship programs where men can rethink masculinity and partnership is essential.

At its core, this is about shifting from control to collaboration, from competition to co-creation. That’s where true partnership begins.

How We Can Fix This

1. Redefine Success for Men
   Show that partnership, empathy, and shared decision-making are strengths — not losses of power.
2. Teach Relational Skills Early
   Include emotional intelligence, communication, and gender equality in school curricula for all genders.
3. Positive Male Role Models
   Highlight men who thrive in equal partnerships, support women in leadership, and redefine masculinity as inclusive.
4. Couple & Team Conversations
   In workplaces and relationships, explicitly discuss expectations, power sharing, and collaboration.
5. Shared Advocacy
   Make gender equality a human issue, not a “women’s issue” — men must be invited in as allies, not painted only as obstacles. UN Womens Article

Empowering women was only half the journey. The next step is equipping men to walk beside them — not in fear, but in partnership. Because when men stop resisting empowered women and start embracing them, everyone moves forward.

Many men never had the chance to unlearn old rules and embrace the new ones.
This isn’t about fixing women. It’s about helping men update their playbook.
What’s one thing you think would make a difference?

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
How men benefit from empowered women
How men and boys can push for gender equality (UN Women)
How to Bring Men and Boys on Board as Allies for Gender Equality (OECD)