Men at the March: Feminist Movement Boundaries and Men's Participation in Take Back the Night and Slutwalk^*

In this article, we examine newspaper coverage of Take Back the Night and SlutWalk sexual assault protests to assess how boundaries around men's participation in feminist events have changed over time, as well as how these changes shape movement messages in the press. Our analysis of Take Back the Night reveals that organizers are more likely to insist on boundaries excluding men's participation, and the coverage often focuses on the public controversy this choice generates. This controversy, however, often provides an unanticipated opportunity for activists to achieve standing and air demands in the press. In a postfeminist political era, there are fewer boundaries for men's participation in SlutWalk and Take Back the Night marches, and reporters and editors focus on a wider array of participants, including those men who are less committed to the feminist purpose of the marches. In these cases, feminist antiassault demands are more likely to get buried.