PANEL DISCUSSION – MALE ALLIES

On 24 February 2026, the Women in Law Initiative hosted the event “Male Allies – Männliche Verbündete” at the Juridicum Vienna. With approximately 70 participants and a discussion extending well beyond the planned timeframe, the event demonstrated that the role of men in advancing gender equality has become a matter of sustained professional and societal interest.

The keynote by Dr. Erich Lehner provided a conceptual foundation for the evening. Drawing on research in critical masculinity studies, he examined dominant models of competition- and hierarchy-oriented masculinity and contrasted them with care-oriented, responsibility-based alternatives. His analysis situated allyship not merely as individual goodwill, but as a question of structural positioning within systems of power and expectation.

The subsequent panel discussion featured Dr. Ralf Peschek and Dr. Severin Gruber, moderated by RA Prof. Franz J. Heidinger and Dr. Marion Guerrero. The discussion moved between legal frameworks, organizational responsibility and leadership culture. A recurring theme was the persistence of deeply embedded role expectations — particularly the “always-on” professional model and gendered assumptions around career progression and family responsibility.

Importantly, the debate did not frame equality as a zero-sum issue. Rather, several contributions emphasized that progressive models of masculinity and structural reform benefit organizations as a whole. Measures such as transparent pay structures, normalized parental leave for fathers, and redefined leadership expectations contribute to fairer systems while simultaneously reducing restrictive role pressures on men.

The strong engagement confirmed an observation already evident during the development of the Women in Law Conference 2026: the topic of Male Allies resonates far beyond symbolic discourse. It addresses governance, accountability, talent management and long-term organizational sustainability. (bitte link zur Konferenz und zu den Tickets)

For this reason, Male Allies and the structural role of men in advancing gender equality will form a significant thematic pillar of our upcoming Women in Law Conference in September 2026.

The conversation initiated at the Juridicum marks the beginning of a continued and more comprehensive exploration of how equality can be translated from normative commitment into institutional practice.