Patrick van Lier - "Was wir Männer wirklich verlieren"

What do men actually lose when gender equality is consistently put into practice? Privileges? The power to define the narrative? Social precedence? In his debut book, Patrick van Lier takes on one of the central questions in today's equality debates - turning attention to where it is often absent: the role and responsibility of men in feminist change.

"Was wir Männer wirklich verlieren. Ein Aufbruch zu einem neuen Verständnis von Männlichkeit" maps the current disputes around feminism, power dynamics, and models of masculinity, and examines why equality triggers anxiety in so many men. Drawing on facts, van Lier argues that what is at stake is less about genuine disadvantage and more about dismantling historically grown privileges. He shows how patriarchal structures not only systematically disadvantage women but also confine men to narrow roles: emotional restraint, performance pressure, the claim to dominance. The book blends personal reflection with social analysis and takes a clear stance: feminism is not men's adversary, but a prerequisite for structural justice.

On Thursday, 27 August 2026, Patrick van Lier will visit Zollhaus Café in Leer to present his book in conversation with the audience. After the reading, there will be an opportunity to ask him questions.