Sebastián Molano (Oxfam America) – Men at Work, Men at Home: Advancing Feminist Social Change

How can we engage with men in the workplace about gender equality and masculinity? Sebastián Molano deals with this question on a day-to-day basis at Oxfam America, where he has facilitated a regular ‘men-identified’ group for the last 4.5 years, discussing men’s role in relation to gender justice issues such as privilege, accountability, and decolonisation. The group was established in part in response to sexual misconduct and power abuses by Oxfam staff which were uncovered in Haiti and other countries in 2017 and 2018.

Sebastián has been working at Oxfam America for over 5 years, and now leads their efforts to translate intersectional feminism commitments into practice. He has over 16 years of experience in the international development field, working in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Sebastián also discusses the Defying Gender Roles initiative he set up, navigating the challenges of fatherhood in a patriarchal society, and how workplaces should do more to encourage caregiving. Originally from Colombia and now living in Boston, we ask Sebastián about responses to the overturning of the landmark 1973 Roe vs Wade abortion rights ruling in the US. Our conversation concludes by exploring the implications of Colombia recently electing its first ever left-wing president, and Sebastián’s experience of growing up in a society riven by conflict.

You can follow Sebastián on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianmolano/ and Twitter: @JuanseMolano. Find out more about Oxfam America: https://www.oxfamamerica.org.

Read about the Defying Gender Roles project: https://www.defyingenderoles.org, and follow it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/defyingenderoles/, and Twitter: https://twitter.com/Defygenderoles

We cover the following topics in this episode:

• Sebastián’s reflections on 4 years of fatherhood and trying to be a ‘feminist dad’
• Men’s experiences of parenting, our relationships with our own fathers, and with patriarchy
• The men-identified group Sebastián facilitates at Oxfam America
• Key lessons and advice about running a group discussing masculinity in the workplace
• Addressing the loneliness and lack of connection many men feel
• Changing the culture at Oxfam after cases of sexual misconduct in Haiti and other countries
• Promoting caregiving among men in the workplace
• Attacks on abortion rights in the US
• The recent election results in Colombia and what it means for gender equality
• Why Sebastián set up Defying Gender Roles

Further resources relevant to the episode:

• Sebastián’s piece, ‘How to become a feminist dad: Four years later’ - https://www.defyingenderoles.org/master-in-love/2022/8/5/how-to-become-a-feminist-dad-four-years-later
• bell hooks (2004) ‘The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love’ - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Will-to-Change/bell-hooks/9780743456081
• David Spiegelhalter, ‘I’ve been meeting with the same group of men for 36 years – here’s what they’ve taught me’ (The Guardian) - https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jul/23/meeting-same-group-men-years-david-spiegelhalter
• Gender at Work podcast episode 22, ‘Feminist Reckonings or Feminist Wrecking Balls?’ -https://genderatwork.org/podcast-episodes/episode-22-feminist-reckonings-or-feminist-wrecking-balls/
• Oxfam discussion paper ‘Feminist Futures: Caring for People, Caring for Justice and Rights’ (2020) by Kim Piaget, Clare Coffey, Sebastián Molano, and Maria José Moreno Ruiz - https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/handle/10546/621046
• Report by Sandy for Oxfam in 2018, ‘Gender Equality is Everyone’s Responsibility: Oxfam’s work engaging men and boys for gender justice’ - https://oxfam.app.box.com/s/2sk4nd2i74otsm7ukiki082k3ole3i3x
• Conversation UK article by Sandy and Stephen - ‘Roe v Wade: men benefit from abortion rights too – and should speak about them more’ - https://theconversation.com/roe-v-wade-men-benefit-from-abortion-rights-too-and-should-speak-about-them-more-185523
• Piece by Sebastián for Voice Male magazine, ‘Will peace ever get a chance in Colombia?’ - https://voicemalemagazine.org/will-peace-ever-get-a-chance-in-colombia/
• ‘What it means to be a man and the struggle for gender equality’, TEDx Talk by Sebastián, 20 March 2015 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io9vXNII7eI