In a culture that mandates isolation, and suppression of emotions, asking for help is an act of revolution. Suicide is reaching epidemic levels in the United States–as in many parts of the world, especially the Global North. While CDC reports highlight that girls and women often attempt suicide at higher rates, boys and men are…
With an incredible platform to enact political, social, and cultural change, it should not be taken lightly for President Obama to utilize his soapbox to refer to himself as a feminist and decry antiquated gender roles and stereotypes. As a father, husband, and politician, President Obama discusses the need for feminism, recognizing that, “when everyone…
At the Cave of Adullam training academy in Detroit, Michigan, boys are not only trained in the ways of martial arts, but also in the ways of non-hegemonic masculinity. They are taught that having emotions, and crying, is part of what being a man really means. Additionally, boys with absent fathers, or without fathers, are…
As always, Planned Parenthood is an amazing resource for information that is easy to understand and quick to digest. In the above image, they tackle consent, and break it down for us all to grasp so that our sexual encounters are healthy, fun, and safe for all involved. – Brett Goldberg Consent is: Freely given.…
What would happen if every time someone asked you, “how are you?” or “how’s it going?” or “how was your weekend?” you actually answered truthfully, and not took it as a mere pleasantry. In this testimonial, author, Evan Porter, challenges himself to this very task. Requiring himself to not only be in touch with what…
We often talk about the need for discussions around consent in the context of Universities and Colleges, and sometimes high school, the settings in which many high profile sexual assault cases have taken place. But what if those conversations happened much earlier, in middle schools, and even earlier in the home? Perhaps those acts of…
A novel that is as beautiful and charming as it is devastating and heartbreaking. Yanagihara follows the lives and friendships of four men who meet as college roommates. At 700 pages, there is nothing superficial or surface-level about the exploration of masculinities and the trials of friendship. I do not want to give too much…
Empathy is not easily taught, but it can be embodied, modeled, and experienced. Special Education teacher, Chris Ulmer has found a way to build students’ self-esteem by modeling an encouraging and positive atmosphere in his class. Rather than treating “special ed” as a punishment, or a result of failure, Ulmer takes time out of every morning…
