'Toxic masculinity' is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot these days but a lot of guys seem not to like it... Maybe it's the 'toxic' part?
Warning: This episode includes explicit language, discussion of rape, suicide and mental health.
People like Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Canadian psychology professor and “culture warrior” Jordan B Peterson believe masculinity is under attack. They (and many others) argue that efforts to deconstruct gender norms - you know, encouraging boys to play with dolls and girls to pick up trucks - are hurting men.
Modern men are lost, because they don’t know how to be “men” anymore.
What is going on? Are men being exposed for the villains they have always been or are they being cast in that role before they even get the chance to show us otherwise?
What is masculinity? Is it changing? If it is, what new shape is it taking? And why is that so scary for people?
On the internet, we’re shouting across a void, that’s getting bigger and bigger, so the chances of hearing each other get less and less.
How do we fix this?
In this episode of Bang! Melody Thomas takes a trip to a Coromandel pub to hear about 'Man Cards', gets some great metaphors from comedian and teen mentor James Nokise, and trades weather burns with Australian psychologist Zac Seidler.
Along the way she (hopefully) gets some answers.
