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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.
Read MoreIf you talk to adults about their experience with sex education at school there seem to be three camps: some will tell you that they were only taught easily forgettable talking points, others actively try to forget the more damaging messages they learned, and the remaining few would give their education a positive review.
Sex education has changed over the years, but one thing has remained constant: the separation of boys and girls during sex ed class.
Read MoreIt’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…
Read MoreThis 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.
Read MoreI’ve been to a lot of different schools and in every single school it’s the same thing. Everyday, someone is getting called a girl or a fag because they don’t conform to some set of made up requirements of being ‘masculine enough.’
Read MoreA sweeping complaint in the manosphere is about how "feminism has ruined relationships and families". There’s an awful lot of hand-wringing about the “collapse of the nuclear family” the disappearance of “traditional family values” and in the case of some groups, a lot of anger directed at women for having… well, choices. I want to explore what’s at the root of this belief and break it down. Because I would argue that patriarchal models for relationships actually harm everyone (men included) and feminist principles provide us with a path to healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
Read MoreThe relationship between men, masculinity and violence is as tumultuous as it is enduring. Violence and aggression often cut both ways—men that have been socialized into these extreme aspects of masculinity don’t just harm their victims but also themselves.
Read MoreAre the kids alright? The pandemic has irrevocably changed us all, especially youth who experienced such turmoil during a critical time in their development. This disconnect has only deepened the valley between how we think youth are doing and how youth are actually doing.
Read MoreToday in Canada, we mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
Today we remember the names and the faces of 14 women murdered on December 6th, 1989, at École Polytechnique in Montreal. These women had their lives and futures stolen from them. They were taken from the people who loved them. That day, fourteen lives ended, and hundreds more people were impacted by their loss.
Read MoreHow have diverse people — people of different races, genders, sexual orientations, and so on — been excluded from outdoor sports and adventuring? From the conquest-without-consent nature of colonialism, to offensive route names in climbs, to hyper-competitive “boys club” mentalities, there’s a lot to unpack. But there are people making change. So how have outdoor sports and adventuring changed to better welcome and include diverse people?
Read MoreMasculinity in the workplace has been a popular subject during COVID-19 through Next Gen Men's Equity Leaders initiative. Men may not only be fighting for their mental health and well-being but fighting what they may think it means to ‘be a man’ on top of it.
Read MoreAs a current youth facilitator for Next Gen Men and former teacher, one of my main objectives has always been to create a safe space free of judgement. A place where young people feel comfortable and are free to be their authentic selves.
Why is this a challenge for boys? You might be surprised to discover that school is a place where many boys feel unsafe. They are afraid they won’t live up to the rules of manhood—they won’t be cool enough, popular enough, or tough enough.
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