When it comes to supporting feminism, there are men who support the movement and its values. Some men are even quite outspoken in their support. But it seems a larger contingent does not hold such views and are opposed to feminism.
Studies in the last ten to fifteen years are quite revealing concerning men’s views of feminism. In 2001, a Gallup poll found that only twenty percent (20%) of American men considered themselves feminist, with seventy-five percent (75%) saying they are not (1). A 2009 CBS Poll found that twenty-four (24%) of American men think the term “feminist” is an insult (2). It was also discovered that four out of five men refused to identify as feminist, but when a specific definition was given the number fell to two in five. A YouGov Poll of Britain in 2010 found that only sixteen percent (16%) of men described themselves as feminist. Fifty-four (54%) stated that they were not and eight percent (8%) specifically claimed to be anti-feminist (3).
What explains the resistance to feminism from many men? We offer several reasons.
First, because misogyny exists. There are men who do not want equal rights for women (4). Some men view women as inferior to them and have no qualms about the fact that they do not have equal rights (5).
Further, feminism can be perceived as threatening. Feminism is sometimes associated with strong, forceful, and angry women. Such women can feel threatening to many men, so why expect those men to support a space in which forceful and angry women can promote their views? Importantly, this is no wholly without basis. Some feminists have used their spaces to spread misandrist vitriol and hatred of men (6). Many feminists have not helped to cultivate a popular image of feminism among men. Some feminists openly declare their hatred for men, which leads to it being perceived by men as a man-hating movement. Other feminists try not to feed this negative image, but their work is often undermined by those feminists who do. Finally, many men fear that feminism will result in them losing opportunities, such as economic opportunities and more. No one should expect men to support a movement they believe hates them and is plotting their downfall.
Third, sometimes men reject feminism because they do not understand what it is. As the above-mentioned 2009 CBS poll suggests, many men are unclear of what feminism is and what it stands for. When a clear definition is given (for example, feminism being the movement that seeks equal rights for men and women, and hopes to challenge patriarchy), the number of men identifying with it increases.
Some men who reject feminism are motivated by their religious beliefs. They feel that the values feminists hold to are in conflict with the way they believe God created man and woman and the roles God gave to them.
For many men, feminism can be difficult to adopt due to personal and social factors (7). Regarding the former, embracing feminism requires a large change to happen in one’s life. A man needs to change the way he thinks about women and how he treats them. This can be difficult socially as one will likely need to show some resistance to his male peers, especially when they perpetuate sexism and the sexual objectification of women through jokes and humor. Given social pressure, this is difficult for many men.
References.
1. Gallup, G. 2002. The Gallup poll. p. 152.
2. Aaron, B. 2014. To All Men: Feminism is Vital Work and YOU are a Part of it. Available.
3. YouGov. YouGov Survey Results. Available.
4. Caprino, K. 2017. What Is Feminism, And Why Do So Many Women And Men Hate It? Available.
5. USA Today. 2017. One in five say women are inferior to men, global study reports. Available.
6. Young, C. 2016. Feminists treat men badly. It’s bad for feminism. Available.
7. Rankin, L. 2013. Feminism Needs Men, Too. Available.
Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy 
I would like to know why fanatical virtue-signalling feminists do not fight the oppression of Muslim women imposed upon them by the barbaric ideology of Islam.
I have never yet seen any feminist organisation even acknowledge that a serious problem exists – how come?
I’m not quite sure what you mean by “fanatical.” However, there has been feminist literature and studies published on that topic.
By “fanatical” I mean certain hypocritical supporters of feminism, male and female, who simply choose to ignore the reality of a dangerously oppressive anti-female ideology, and instead pretend it is actually an enriching benefit of multicultural diversity – says it all, really!
It is a good observation and point you make John, but I wouldn’t want to conflate the values of feminism with those of whom don’t carry them out consistently.
The problem of femenism is that is no longer about equality. It has moved past that part to the changing of Patriarcy. This change means repalcing or adjustment of the whole of society. The rise of the “personal is political” makes this a political movement that now obays political therory. (6) The open talk of allies is power politics. A Them and Us dynamic lots of men and women are rejecting. Many pepole agree with equality for the sexes before the law and even in personal life. Family life and frendships with women give a simple understanding this can work. In psychology the Robbers Cave studies of Sherif (https://www.simplypsychology.org/robbers-cave.html) show how powerful rivalrys can form. Pepole have a simple understandingthat this Them and Us dynamic is bad. The same studie show it was co-operation that allowed for peace and unity. The Suffreget battles of the pre WW1 era achied little. It was world war 1 and the woemen working in factorys and farms that changed the govements and peoples atitudes to women. Sufferage was made law soon after WW1 in the British Empire.
The power of rivalry means many Femenist invested in this idiology see the Patricarcy as the enemy. (6) Not pepole to be won over. The Pariarcy is made of men and women who live it and support it even unwitingly. They and we are the enemy. The Feminist cause now a political movement wants to be in charge, wants to win. Hard core feminist are fighting a political war no longer demanding equality but to control the patricary and replace it. That is why lots of pepole are not Femenists in my understanding. More in depth understanding can be found here https://www.youtube.com/c/SargonofAkkad/playlists
Regards Alexis
If women groups are advocates for men why is there 10 million more women graduating college each yr while the men are treated like potential rapists and mandatory rape classes? Imagine your son being mandated to hear they are potential rapists! Women also receive 90% of all grants and scholarships. In many classes the boys are talked down to even to the point of humiliation! There is a website you can go to where guys can talk about their problems with college you should visit it. One kid and many others have dropped out because of such events happening! To them free college would be too much to pay. Women in many colleges have their own student ctrs but not the boys. When people like Christine H Summers went to speak to boys on campus she is met with verbal beatings to the point of having the events cancelled! By the way when the boys got approval for their own student ctr they started the girls even sabotaged their effort with spray paint and destruction! Feminism has girls so indoctrinated this is their response to boys having something of their own to talk to them. These boys weren’t even alive when feminism was started and now they are paying the price. Why are there still quotas in colleges for women to attend. What about divorce ct! Women get custody 90% of the time, file over 70% of divorces and even in cases of the woman’s infidelity she still will get custody of the kids, alimony and child support! The list goes on but from my perspective feminism is not helping men!