Men Resist Green Behavior as Un-Manly
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/men-resist-green-behavior-as-un-manly/Men may eschew green products and behaviors to avoid feeling feminine. In one study, we threatened the masculinity of male participants by showing them a pink gift card with a floral design and asking them to imagine using the card to purchase three products (lamp, backpack, and batteries). Compared to men shown a standard gift card, threatened men were more likely to choose the non-green rather than green version of each item. The idea that emasculated men try to reassert their masculinity through non-environmentally-friendly choices suggests that in addition to littering, wasting water, or using too much electricity, one could harm the environment merely by making men feel feminine.
Ironically, although men are often considered to be less sensitive than women, they seem to be particularly sensitive when it comes to perceptions of their gender identity. In fact, a previous study suggests that men find it to be more difficult than women to choose between masculine and feminine versions of everyday food and household items and will usually change their preferences to be more manly when allowed time to think about their decisions. Something as simple as holding a purse, ordering a colorful drink, or talking in a high voice can lead to social harm, so men tend to keep a sharp eye out for any of these potential snares.
So what can pro-environmental marketers do to buffer against the threat posed to men by the green-feminine stereotype? First, eco-friendly marketing messages and materials can be designed to affirm men’s masculinity and give them the confidence to overcome their fear of being judged as feminine when engaging in green behaviors. For example, in one experiment, men who received feedback affirming their masculinity were more interested in purchasing an eco-friendly version of a cleaning product. Men who feel secure in their manhood are more comfortable going green.
Patriarchy hurts everyone.
= new reply since forum marked as read
"Not all insecure men!" cried the righteously indignant while looking for any reason possible to be offended by the merely benign.
...allowing Ecology to be segregated into the category of so-called "women's issues." Once that happens, the author pointed out, it becomes as easy to dismiss as childcare, children's health, women's health, women's work, women's pay (and by this time I was gritting my teeth) -- all the things that get shunted aside as not the problem of the men in power because they "belong" to women.
I was actively on the Goddess path at the time, and was interested in exploring the spiritual dimensions of many things I had long supported, such as ecology. I made a conscious decision to "think spiritually; act politically."
I thought we had made so much progress as a society -- sheesh, Nixon himself signed the EPA laws. Yet here we are in this season of backlash and regression, where all the shit we thought we had left behind or at least made socially unacceptable is exposed for all the world to see: racism, homophobia, misogyny, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, Nazism, and now (some) men's phallic fears of emasculation affecting their behavior when it comes to a healthy planet.
Backlash. Regression. Trump. 
I think it's sexy when men show their feminine side. Guess that's why my husband is a feminist. 
