Maintaining power: Male constructions of “feminists” and “feminist values.” Feminism

Research in the past decade has identified a trend in which feminist values are given support while feminists themselves are constructed negatively. It is argued that the incorporation of feminist values into the mainstream and simultaneous rejection of those associated with the ‘movement ’ itself can be understood through analysing related discursive practices. Although significant changes in gender relations have occurred, the decoupling of feminist values from feminists, as identified in interviews with 46 pro-fessional Scottish men, can be read as a strategy that functions to minimize the impact of gender politics on contemporary society; the historical role men have played in women’s oppression; and the related privileges men receive. Finally, it allows users to claim feminist values for themselves, enabling them to redefine these values. The gender-neutral approach is identified as such a reformulation, which functions to marginalize any con-tinued feminist voice and thus further initiatives for social change. Key Words: discourse analysis, feminism, masculinities, masculinit