Matt Haig defends proposed book about masculinity from Twitter users insisting it sounds 'anti-feminist'

The British author proposed the idea for his next non-fiction novel on 13 June but swiftly "abandoned" it, before deciding that actually, the response "shows it needs to be written".

Haig, whose recent depression memoir Reasons to Stay Alive received five star reviews, wanted to posit the argument that "men benefit more than women from sexism, but both would be better off with feminism".

Sadly, this led to a barrage of unhelpful comments, with some followers telling him that "feminism doesn't exist to help males" and that because of his male gender, he should "stop talking about feminism".

"Maybe I am missing something. There may be too many books about and by men, but not many looking at the perils of masculinity," Haig wrote on Saturday.

"Am I wrong? Unless you want to do away with men, then we need to look at what masculinity is and why its current interpretation causes problems."

Haig continued with a string of tweets attempting to back up his viewpoint, insisting that all he wants is for his son "not to feel self-conscious he likes ballet and [his] daughter to carry on playing Han Solo".

People (rightly) say men need to be feminist yet when a man wants to write re gender and pitfalls of masculinity, they're met with sneers.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 13, 2015

Suspicious of all those silencing words like man-flu and man up and mansplaining, because men need to talk more about feelings not less.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 13, 2015

The template of what being a man is, is quite small. At my school: football, violent games, no emotion, banter, war films, girls as objects.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

If we can't call it feminism, a movement to help soften male identity &help suicidal/homeless/addicted/war-damaged men what can we call it?

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

Twitter burns. It's harsh. Guess vulnerable men who suffer mental health problems due to gender constraints have to stay vulnerable. Sad.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

The interesting thing is that people assume a book about a crisis in masculinity would be anti feminist.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

Who is going to talk about boys and role models and machismo and all that if it isn't for feminists? Leave it to Men's Rights nutters? Fine

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

I have never in my life felt oppressed by women, or that feminism is a problem. I do think boys find it hard to like things seem as feminine

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

I admit I am a tad suspicious of people who talk about male oppression but don't want men to help destabilise fixed gender identities.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

I think some men are nervous, not only to come out as depressed, but also to come out as feminist. Today I understand why.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 15, 2015

Fortunately, Haig made a point of retweeting both supportive and angry @ tweets to demonstrate both sides of the debate and thanked the majority of Twitter followers for their support.

"Feminism isn't about crushing men into silence, it's about standing side by side," one user wrote, while another expressed frustration at Haig being attacked for "talking about expanding male identity beyond patriarchal stereotypes".

.@FlexicoPlex how clear can I put this? I am not denying female oppression, I am trying to stop it by calling for a more fluid masculinity.

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) June 14, 2015

Haig told the Guardian that he had been shocked by the backlash to his suggestion. "I've always thought feminism had a lot to say about both genders, as it is hard to talk about one without the other," he said. "I think men and women alike would benefit from men having a more fluid idea of what being a man is."

Haig's proposed subject matter echoes the intentions of rapper Professor Green in some respect, who will be hosting a new BBC Three documentary about male suicide in a bid to encourage more men with mental health problems to open up.

Professor Green will share personal experiences of his father's suicide

Green was made patron of male suicide prevention charity Calm last month. He was just 24 when his estranged father killed himself.

"If anything comes from this documentary it's that we should not feel ashamed or embarrassed to open up and talk to those around us about our feelings, in particular young men," Green said. "Collectively we need to break the stigma surrounding suicide."

It remains to be seen whether Haig will write his already much-maligned book. Here's hoping he does.

Read more: Matt Haig interview
Why Professor Green is urging men with depression to seek help