Feminist Cities are for Men Too
Our efforts have exemplified that we cannot continue building cities based only on men's experiences, patriarchal roles, and toxic masculinity, as that is the story of the past. Instead, we need to mobilize and implement urban interventions that prioritize the needs, experiences, and knowledge of equity-deserving groups, especially women.These interventions, even when they are instilled to prioritize women, still have the capacity to serve the daily lives of men better than cities currently do. Which means the intentions and changes needed to create feminist cities have all the more reason to be more-widely supported, trusted, and listened to. The feminist interventions below are aimed to help us all, and we are here to create an understanding as to why feminist cities are for men too. 
An older man sitting on a park bench in Montreal, QC. Photo taken by Nicole Roach.
Infrastructure
Our sidewalks, roads, buildings, bridges, and other city systems are hostile towards women and other equity-deserving groups. This hostility is due to a lack of consideration, consultation, and representation in their planning process. As a result, our streets have gotten wider and our sidewalks have gotten narrower while the powerful automobile industry continues to push for mass private vehicle ownership. Ultimately, this has turned everyone outside of a car, including women and women of colour who are less likely to own a vehicle, into a secondary priority on our streets. When space for cars in our cities decreases, it creates more space to expand public transportation services, bike networks, and people-first infrastructure. Ultimately, helping women and other equity-deserving groups move more easily, affordably, and safely. This expansion also enables cities to spend fewer tax-payer dollars on road maintenance every year, which benefits everyone. In 2021, the City of Winnipeg spent a record amount of $152.2 million dollars on street renewal. That year, Winnipeg had 8,300 KMs of lane roads total, and that $152.2 million was only able to cover the cost of repairing or replacing 146.6 KMs of roads. Of the $152.2 million, the City spent just $55.7 million dollars on local street renewals including sidewalk and active transportation, and residential street improvements. Given how expensive the maintenance of major roadways is, cutting down our reliance and priority of cars can shift funds toward more reliable, resilient, and affordable ways of moving in our cities - which ultimately improves everyone's quality of life. This shift can also reduce a growing issue of traffic violence in Canadian cities, particularly given men are statistically more dangerous on our roads and pose more risk to other road users than women. Finally, reducing cars on our roads reduces carbon emissions, which are linked to lowering male fertility (if that interests you). 
A group of men enjoying a street corner in Montreal, QC. Photo taken by Nicole Roach.
Mobility
As mentioned above, our current infrastructure perpetuates the dominance of personal vehicles in cities, making driving the generally accepted “standard” mode of transportation. However, owning and operating a vehicle is not as common amongst groups who earn less (predominantly women and women of colour), have disabilities (visible and non-visible), are too young or elderly. When cities build mobility options that lessen our dependence on vehicles, it brings much more freedom to everyone. Frequent, low cost, and connected transit routes help relieve women’s “time-poverty” and reduce complexity of “trip-chaining.” A well connected bike network can also increase the number of women on bikes, as they are 12% less likely to ride a bike to commute than men due to fear of safety and risk. Expanding capacity for other modes of transportation can cut costs and criminal offenses for men, as men pay between 8.6 - 27% more in car insurance than women in Canada. This cost difference is due to being more prone to risky driving, having higher DUI rates, and tending to drive cars that are more expensive to insure. Replacing a few or many car trips with a bike can also add years onto mens' lives by lowering rates of stress and anxiety, as men appear to have less adaptive physiological, behavioral, and emotional coping mechanisms than women during stressful events, increasing their risk of heart disease.
Two men riding an electric scooter and a bike in a bike lane. Photo taken by Nicole Roach in Vancouver, BC.
Placemaking
Our cities have largely prioritized spaces to move through rather than to slow down, enjoy, relax, and connect in with others. As a result, both large- and medium-sized Canadian cities saw a 77% decrease in public spaces between 2001 and 2019. This has ultimately led to having fewer inviting, green, and widely accessible spaces for women, elderly folks, and children to socialize, play, and increase mental and physical well-being. Removing concrete in vital outdoor spaces, like turning a car lane into a shaded boulevard, a parking lot into a park, and a highway into a canal or waterfront (it’s happened, more than once!), can lead to transformative physical and social changes within cities. Namely, expanding opportunities for outdoor activities, socialization, more frequent family play and outdoor time, comfort, and ease. Finally, providing additional shade, plants that absorb CO2, and flowers that add colour, naturally results in spaces that look and feel more cool.
Socialization of men and boys under the patriarchy can make it difficult and seemingly “unacceptable” for men to lean on others for support and connection. Increasing the accessibility and normalcy of using public spaces by adding some of the suggestions above can offer boys and men an opportunity to improve their mental health. Researchers have found talking and connecting can help lower the negative correlation between self-reliance and help-seeking behaviours in men - and what better way to do this than sitting, walking, or moving in a lush green park!
Two men playing chess in Montreal, QC. Photo taken by Nicole Roach.
Feminist Interventions Help Us All
Feminist interventions within infrastructure, mobility, and placemaking aims to respond to and prioritize the experience of women and other equity-deserving groups. While men are not at the forefront of these interventions, they are still positively impacted by them, improving safety, finances, and mental and physical well-being. Including everyone in cities is the kind of city-building Women in Urbanism aims to work towards. We strive to build communities that liberate everyone from the patterns of domination and oppression under the patriarchy - including men. Men are allies, and we wanted to share how men are impacted by the current system, and empower them to push for more equitable cities alongside others whose perspectives and experiences haven’t typically been factored into urban planning and design. We all rise by lifting others and this can take shape through policy, advocacy, knowledge-sharing, and overall support for feminist interventions in cities. That’s why we can, and should all be feminist as fuck, don’t you think?
References
https://ct.counseling.org/2022/06/the-effects-of-gender-socialization-on-boys-and-men/
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210817/dq210817b-eng.htm
https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/fitness-and-training/how-riding-your-bike-helps-you-beat-stress/
https://www.womeninurbanism.ca/words/pedalling-against-patriarchy
https://www.cjponyparts.com/resources/men-vs-women-car-buying
http://webfoundation.org/docs/2015/10/womens-rights-online_Report.pdf
https://www.womeninurbanism.ca/words/patriarchy-cemented-into-cities
https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/men-pose-more-risk-to-other-road-users-than-women/
