This liberation theory holds that men are hurt by the male gender role and patriarchy and that men’s lives are alienating, unhealthy and impoverished.

They are often sympathetic to feminism and seek to emancipate men in the same manner by which women continue to seek liberation through the feminist movement.

They believe that men are overworked, trained to kill or be killed, brutalized and subjected to blame and shame. They give attention to the damage, isolation and suffering inflicted on boys and men through their socialization into manhood.