Now and Men Sandy Ruxton & Stephen Burrell

Why should we all be concerned by the content, production and dissemination of pornography today? What is the impact of the normalisation of porn culture on boys and young men? How can we help them to reject harmful and inequitable sexual behaviours and attitudes, live up to the values they hold, and build healthy, mutualistic relationships? 
In this episode, youth advocate and educator Daniel Principe talks frankly about what led him to speak out about pornography, and how he came to engage with boys and young men on these issues. He describes his innovative approach in schools and colleges across Australia, and talks movingly about the positive and thoughtful responses of the boys and young men he encounters. He emphasises the need to support boys through adolescence, to help them to critique the unequal culture they are growing up in, and to champion their fundamental decency and courage.  
In Australia, Daniel is a member of the DART Institute (Domestic Abuse Resource and Training Group), an Ambassador for the Women’s Resilience Centre, and an Ambassador for the national campaign Consent Can’t Wait.
Find out more about Daniel’s work: https://www.danielprincipe.com.auFollow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lastoftheromans/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-principe-8b7556ab/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrdanielprincipe
Episode timeline:
Intro (00:00-01:32)What led Daniel to start questioning pornography (01:32-06:01)How and why pornography has become so pervasive (06:01-12:53) Problems with the content of mainstream porn (12:53-18:39)Its impacts on men and boys (18:39-24:24)Damaging consequences for male sexuality (24:24-29:15)Break (29:15-29:21)Daniel’s work with boys and young men (29:21-39:18)What we can do about porn culture, personally and politically (39:18-51:52)Conclusion (Tensions between challenging and supporting boys; The need for structural change; The narrow, conservative, big business nature of porn; Profiting from cycles of shame; Boys’ capacity to critique; How porn constructs masculinity; Perpetuating the male gaze and the centring of men’s pleasure; ‘The end of masculinity’?) (51:52-59:59)
More info: 
Read Daniel’s piece for SBS Insight: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/article/porn-taught-me-to-disrespect-women-from-when-i-was-11-now-i-try-to-tell-kids-whats-real/vbk4p7ggxAustralian Government ‘Consent Can’t Wait’ campaign: https://www.consent.gov.auAustralian eSafety Commissioner report, ‘Being a young man online’ (2024): https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/being-a-young-man-onlineAustralian Institute of Family Studies report, ‘The effects of pornography on children and young people’ (2017): a href="https://aifs.gov.au/research/research-snapshots/effects-pornography-children-and-young-people" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Across the globe, men tend to have a lower life expectancy than women. Although there are still significant challenges facing women’s health, on issues ranging from cancer to suicide, men are faring badly. However, a closer look reveals that this picture varies significantly across different groups of men. Why is that? What role does masculinity play in shaping health inequities among men, and their experience of illnesses like prostate cancer? For Men’s Health Week 2024, we speak to Professor Derek Griffith about why an intersectional approach, which addresses issues such as economic inequality and structural racism, is vital to engaging with men and boys about their health and wellbeing.
Derek is a Founding Co-Director of the Racial Justice Institute and Founder and Director of the Center for Men’s Health Equity at Georgetown University (Washginton, DC, United States), where he is a Professor of Health Management and Policy and Oncology. He also serves as the Chair of Global Action on Men’s Health, a global men’s health advocacy organisation. 
Find out more about Derek’s work: https://gufaculty360.georgetown.edu/s/contact/0031Q00002J74ovQAB/derek-griffith
Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrDMGriffithFollow him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekmgriffith/Global Action on Men’s Health: https://gamh.orgCenter for Men’s Health Equity, Georgetown University: https://cmhe.georgetown.edu
Episode timeline:
Intro (00:00-01:28)Men’s Health Week and why it matters (01:28-02:34)Why an intersectional understanding of men’s wellbeing is needed (02:34-04:45)How health inequities manifest themselves in the US (04:45-06:01)The consequences of structural racism (06:01-09:35)The influence of masculinity on different groups of men (09:35-12:27)Understanding Black American manhood (12:27-15:10)Risk-taking (15:10-16:34)Men’s poor take-up of health services (16:34-19:52)Making healthcare more accessible (19:52-22:53)The costs of healthcare in the US (22:53-26:00)Break (26:00-26:07)Lack of discussion of men’s mental health in global policies (26:07-28:03)Men’s vulnerability and looking beyond individual explanations (28:03-30:13)What policy changes are needed (30:13-32:07)Masculinity and prostate cancer (32:07-40:10)Other forms of cancer experienced by men (40:10-42:09)Discomfort among male doctors (42:09-43:43)How we can engage with marginalised men and boys about their wellbeing (43:43-48:05)Fatherhood and (self)care (48:05-51:56)Conclusion (The structural dynamics of masculinity; The role of social class; ‘Dying of whiteness’; Relationships and women’s positive impact; Prostate cancer) (51:56-59:34)
More info:
Syndemics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syndemic Tony Coles - ‘mosaic masculinity’: https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783308092882Tony Whitehead - Jamaican and African-American men, reputation and respectability: a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.93.6.1050"...

Why do most men in politics avoid describing themselves and their politics as ‘feminist’? If they do support gender equality, why do they prefer instead to be called allies, advocates or supporters? What does this mean in practice for what men politicians do to promote women’s rights, and address harmful masculine norms? How are they seen by feminist activists, women politicians and young people? These are vital issues given the power men in politics have to drive (or obstruct) change towards gender equality and preventing violence against women. They are discussed in a forthcoming report by Dr Ján Michalko for ODI, a global affairs think tank, drawing on case studies by research teams in Colombia, Liberia and Malaysia. 
We talk to Ján about the findings from the research, its implications for politicians, international donors, civil society and researchers on how to engage with men in positions of power, and what such men can do to promote the transformation of unequal gender norms, in politics and in wider society.
Ján is a Research Fellow in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion at ODI. His research interests are in gender inequalities, political engagement, masculinities, feminist foreign policy, and youth. His work includes supporting the digital ALiGN platform at ODI, which brings together global gender norms research and lessons for transformative change: https://www.alignplatform.org
Follow Ján on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ján-michalko-phd-54719251Twitter: https://x.com/MichalkoJanFollow ALiGN on Twitter: https://x.com/ALIGN_GenderODI website: https://odi.org/en/
Read the full research series, including the cross-country analysis and in-depth country reports: https://www.alignplatform.org/research-series-men-politics-agents-gender-equitable-change
Episode timeline:
Intro (00:00-02:20)Why ALiGN wanted to research men in politics (02:20-05:35)The political context in Colombia, Liberia & Malaysia (05:35-08:53)Challenges of comparing across contexts (08:53-10:35)Interviewing men in politics (10:35-14:02)The reluctance of men politicians to take on the label ‘feminist’ (14:02-17:19)Actions speak louder than words (17:19-18:54)The risk of falls from grace (18:54-19:53)Factors shaping men politicians' engagement with gender equality (19:53-23:59)Differences across political parties (23:59-26:23)The electoral cycle (26:23-28:40)Break (28:40-28:46)Focus groups with students & activists about their views on men politicians (28:46-32:44)Anti-feminist backlash (32:44-35:55)Barriers & enablers to progress for gender equality politics (35:55-38:15)What actions men in politics can take (38:15-40:17)The influence they have on wider society (40:17-42:08)Their reluctance to reflect on masculinity (42:08-46:29)Ján’s own story of how he got involved in this work (46:29-51:20)Conclusion (Interactions with MPs Tony Benn & Peter Jackson; Men politicians’ motivations for supporting women’s rights over time; Pushes for the Australian govt to address...

Dr Ken Harland has been involved in youth work practice and research with boys and young men in Northern Ireland for the past 35 years. During that time, he has witnessed a transition from a culture in which violence and conflict was normalised, to one of peace-building and hope. But how were ‘The Troubles’ shaped by gender inequality? What impact did and does the conflict have on young men growing up, and on ideas of masculinity? How is it possible to reach disadvantaged boys and young men and help them find their voice in this context? And are there lessons for elsewhere from the political transformation of Northern Ireland towards peace?
After being a community youth worker for 17 years, in 1996 Ken joined Ulster University and was co-founder and co-director of the ‘Centre for Young Men’s Studies’ there from 2005-2016. Since then he’s worked independently as a consultant, trainer, lecturer and researcher in youth and youth-related issues, and also works part-time as a Research Fellow and Consultant with Ulster University's longitudinal research initiative ‘Taking Boys Seriously’. In this episode, Ken talks movingly about his personal story, linking his early work experiences in the shipyards, to finding his passion in education, his relationship with his dad, and being a grandparent. 
Follow Ken on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-harland-26b237b5/Read more of his research: https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/persons/ken-harlandCheck out his book, ‘Boys, Young Men and Violence: Masculinities, Education and Practice’ (2015): https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137297358 and recent journal articles...‘Taking Boys Seriously: A participatory action research initiative demonstrating the transformative potential of relational education’ (2024): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01425692.2024.2315121‘Embedding masculinities within a gender conscious relational pedagogy to transform education with boys experiencing compounded educational disadvantage’ (2024): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681366.2024.2301726
We cover the following topics:
Ken’s experience of living through The Troubles (01:14-05:22)The place of gender in conversations about transition away from conflict (05:22-08:45)How men were expected to be ‘defenders’ and ‘protectors’ (08:45-11:52)The dominance of the ‘cult of the hardman’ (11:52-15:34)Similarities and differences in masculine pressures in different contexts (15:34-18:36)The impact of the police and army as well as paramilitary organisations (18:36-20:17)Hopes for a better future despite the challenges (20:17-25:07)The experiences of women during The Troubles (25:07-26:59)What led Ken to work on masculinity issues (26:59-35:30)The establishment of the Centre for Young Men’s Studies in Belfast (35:30-40:59)Making sense of how masculinity influences young men's (and our own) lives (40:59-46:46)Taking Boys Seriously: The need for gender conscious relational pedagogy (46:46-48:33)Practical lessons from Ken’s work with boys (48:33-53:04)Conclusion: Moving away from a culture of violence; Challenging the notion that boys don’t talk; Social change in Northern Ireland,...

The heavy toll of gun violence in the United States is having traumatising impacts on innumerable Black men and boys, many of whom will know one or more family members or friends who have died as a result. Yet there is widespread reluctance to consider the idea of vulnerability and victimisation among these young survivors. 
In this episode, we hear from Dr Jocelyn Smith Lee, who has herself experienced personal loss from the violence, about her work in the cities of Greensboro and Baltimore to challenge dehumanising narratives of Black men and boys and ensure that their voices and experiences are central to efforts to tackle the violence. We also learn about community initiatives helping these men and boys and their families heal from trauma and loss. 
Jocelyn is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She is also the founder and director of the Centering Black Voices research lab, and the founder and project lead for the visual storytelling campaign ‘In All Ways Human’, which was originally funded by a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenge Award.
Find out more about Jocelyn’s research: https://www.uncg.edu/employees/jocelyn-smith-lee/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyn-r-smith-lee-ph-d-577b6015/Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrJocelynSmithIn All Ways Human campaign: https://inallwayshuman.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inallwayshumanTwitter: https://twitter.com/InAllWaysHumanCentering Black Voices research lab: https://centeringblackvoices.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/CenterBLKVoices
Topics we cover:
The prevalence of gun violence in the US and its unequal impacts (01:12-04:26)The social contexts for Jocelyn’s research in Baltimore, MD and Greensboro, NC (04:26-08:47)The impacts of trauma and loss from gun violence on Black men and boys (08:47-14:57)(Limited) possibilities for turning points and perceived life expectancy (14:57-19:38)Why we are so reluctant to talk about vulnerability and victimisation among Black men (19:38-22:19)The ‘In All Ways Human’ campaign that Jocelyn has created (22:19-28:30)Telling a different, positive story, through the life-course (28:30-30:49)The effects that police violence has on Black men and boys and their families (30:49-37:08)Services which play a more positive role in their lives (37:08-42:02)How we can help Black men and boys to heal from this trauma and loss (42:02-46:29)The impacts of the violence on women and girls (46:29-48:50)The disproportionate responsibility placed on Black women (48:50-50:22)The recent reduction in homicides in Baltimore, and achieving political change (50:22-55:05)Conclusion (55:05-01:01:14), including: The shocking scale of the homicides, from a young age; How masculine norms can obstruct men from talking about fear and grief; Links with episode 38...

What is 'discomfort', and how can we engage effectively with men when they display it in conversations about masculinity, gender equality and violence? How can connecting with discomfort help to change harmful attitudes and behaviours? What are the risks and challenges in embracing discomfort, and how can they be dealt with? These issues are at the core of our discussion with Dr Nate Eisenstadt, drawing on his extensive experience of facilitating and researching bystander intervention and domestic violence perpetrator programmes in the UK.
We also explore the training room as a microcosm of wider society, and how discomfort and fear are often weaponised by public figures to promote damaging, polarising responses to complex real-world problems. Drawing on his earlier research on contemporary anarchist practices, Nate reflects on the challenges and potential of community-based transformative (as opposed to punitive) approaches to ending gender-based violence.
Nate is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol in the UK, in their Medical School’s Domestic Violence and Health Group, and the Co-Director of Kindling Interventions, which delivers bystander leadership programmes for violence prevention, equality and diversity.
Find out more about Nate’s research: https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/nathan-eisenstadtLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nathan-eisenstadt/Kindling Interventions: https://kindling-interventions.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/KindlingIntervLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/kindling-interventions/
We cover the following topics:
The 'bystander leadership' training that Nate is delivering (01:31-05:16)Why he and Dr Rachel Fenton set up Kindling Interventions (05:16-09:03)Advantages and challenges with the bystander intervention approach (09:03-16:27)Different ways in which 'discomfort' can surface in this work (16:27-22:39)How to respond to discomfort when engaging with men and boys (22:39-30:57)The role of skilled facilitation (30:57-33:39)Facilitators’ own experiences of discomfort (33:39-37:24)How discomfort links to the backlash against feminism in wider society (37:24-42:46)Vital ingredients for impactful work with men who've perpetrated abuse (42:46-48:55)How this research links with Nate’s work on anarchist and anti-oppressive organising (48:55-52:06)Key tenets of anarchism and links with community accountability (52:06-53:58)Conclusion (53:58-59:54): Overlaps with Jens van Tricht's episode; the value of uncomfortable conversations; shifts in work with men who've used violence; the resonance of Nate's work with wider political polarisation; and anarchism and mutual aid.
Further reading:
The Intervention Initiative: https://law.exeter.ac.uk/research/interventioninitiative/Rachel Fenton, Helen Mott et al. (2016) A review of evidence for bystander intervention to prevent sexual and domestic violence in universities (Public Health England): a...