Next Gen Men is always striving for balance: standing in front (advocating in all-male spaces), standing beside (showing up in solidarity), and standing behind (supporting feminist leadership).
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The connotation of “mama’s boy” has generally been negative, irrespective of which scenario people are referring to. “Mama’s boy” has historically been used as an insult, typically challenging the masculinity of the boy or man to whom it is applied.
We’re going to break down the term “mama’s boy” and consider whether it’s a term that can be reclaimed, or if it should be abandoned altogether.
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Emotional literacy is something we’ve been learning a lot more about over the past few months here at Next Gen Men.
So what is emotional literacy, and how might it benefit men? Additionally, how might men help others by levelling up their emotional literacy skills? Let’s get into it!
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“Do you reach out to people?” I ask him. “Sometimes,” he replies, “but I know people are busy and I don’t want to bother them”.
Part of his feeling lonely is also his desire to not feel like a burden. So many men are socialized to believe that they shouldn’t need anyone, that they should be tough, strong, and independent.
That’s not how we’re wired though.
Humans — regardless of gender — are wired for connection.
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If you’ve been paying attention to Next Gen Men for a while, then you know we love to read (cue Jake telling you about BOOK Club ad infinitum) — but we also love to watch documentaries and movies!
Here are eight documentaries about patriarchy, masculinity, gender equity, and change that we’ve seen (plus one that we are patiently waiting to see). Some focus on violence, others on mental health and relationships; some zoom in on the personal, while others zoom out on the political. We promise they’ll have you fired up either way.
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Men’s involvement in feminism pre-dates our Next Gen Men community by more than a hundred years. From the UK to the US, as early as the mid-1800s, there were men who supported women’s right to vote.
Men’s support for women’s suffrage was certainly slow and sparse to start — and indeed many men found the idea laughable — but it grew steadily toward the turn of the century.
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Sometimes, especially on social media, folks wan to simplify the world by creating false dichotomies (i.e. you’re either feminist OR sexist) that cover up the complex ways that people encounter and perpetrate oppression both as individuals and within systems. The reality is typically more complicated.
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It's not surprising then, that menstruation carries a sense of shame. We have to navigate our first menstrual cycles in junior high or high school, an already tumultuous time, quickly hiding sanitary products up our long sleeves, in our pockets or bags, in fear that someone will know.
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Growing up, telling the heroes apart from the villains was easy.
The good guys were good, and the bad guys were bad. The odds were stacked against them, but the good guys always won, and the bad guys went away.
Everything was enviably clear.
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We won’t make headway on the movement to end gender-based violence if boys don’t see themselves within it. Boys won’t see themselves included unless they truly are.
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It’s International Women’s Day today.
I’m sure for many women, the appreciation they receive on a day like today is really nice and encouraging. It is good to appreciate the women in your life!
However, guys, we can do more.
We can be making tangible changes in our lives and we can be advocating for systemic changes that benefit women (and we can do this every day). Here’s how…
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This International Women’s Day we can go the distance with gender equality at work— every week.
Lead with a vision, not the problem. There is value in spending time to evaluate current issues, reflect on historic patterns, and anticipate future barriers. But it can get overwhelming to unpack all of these problems that it can almost feel insurmountable when faced with the reality that we have a long way to go.
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