Barcelona to open center for 'positive, open, plural and heterogeneous' masculinity

Barcelona will be home to the New Masculinities Center in October as the council wants to promote "positive, open, plural and heterogeneous" kinds of masculinity as well as prevent both homophobia and transphobia.

According to mayor Ada Colau, it is "very important" for local authorities to position themselves against discrimination intolerance, especially as hate speech is on the rise in political institutions: "Some have sought to trivialize fascism, discrimination, and LGBTIphobia."

The New Masculinities Center, which will be located on Passeig Picasso avenue in the Born, near the Estació de França train station and Parc de la Ciutadella, will house workshops put on with the help of local LGBTI rights groups.

These could include, for example, training sessions with education specialists on how to raise boys to embrace masculinity that does not "pigeonhole" them.

"Many parents wonder how to educate their sons about feminism," said Laura Pérez, the councilor for social rights, global justice, feminism, and LGBTI issues. "We need more tools to do so and there are experts who can help us."

"Being a man does not mean having to react aggressively," she added.