Michael Kaufman, an educator and writer focused on engaging men and boys to promote gender equality and end violence against women, will present “The Gender Equality Advantage” at Northern Michigan University. His talk will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the University Center Great Lakes Rooms. It is free and open to the public. The NMU president’s gender working group is sponsoring his visit.

Kaufman will explain how to improve productivity and effectiveness by addressing gender issues in the workplace. He says changing relations between women and men and redefinitions of womanhood and manhood create not only challenges, but also enormous opportunities for everyone to benefit from change.

Based in Toronto, Ontario, Kaufman has worked in 45 countries and extensively with the United Nations. He is co-founder of the White Ribbon Campaign, the largest effort in the world of men and boys working to promote gender equity, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity while ending violence against women and girls. White Ribbon is helping to create models that “challenge negative, outdated concepts of manhood and inspire men to understand and embrace the incredible potential they have to be a part of positive change.”

Kaufman also has written six books. His most recent, The Guy’s Guide to Feminism and Man Talk, bring men into the conversation. Kaufman exposes the contradictions at the heart of masculinity, challenges the existing power structure and promotes the potential of liberating men by helping them to discover new masculinities.

This talk is also part of Women’s History Month activities at NMU. For more information on Kaufman, visit nsb.com/speakers/michael-kaufman/.