Michael Flood
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michaelgflood.bsky.social
Michael Flood
@michaelgflood.bsky.social

Researcher on men, masculinities, gender, and violence prevention. Educator and advocate. Posts my own. I strive for content-rich and evidence-based tweeting.

I'm experimenting with posting both here and on X/Twitter @MichaelGLFlood .. more

Michael G. Flood is an Australian sociologist and a professor at the Queensland University of Technology School of Justice. Flood gained his doctorate in gender and sexuality studies from the Australian National University. His areas of research are on violence against women, fathering, pro-feminism, domestic violence, the effects of pornography on young people, safe sex among heterosexual men, men's movements as a backlash to the feminist movement, men's relationships with each other and with women, homophobia, men's health, and gender justice. He is a regular contributor to and is regularly quoted in the media on these and other issues. .. more

Sociology 30%
Political science 30%

Also see:
Strategies for responding to resistance and backlash: xyonline.net/content/resp...
Critiques of common manosphere / MRA claims: xyonline.net/content/fact...
More content on men’s rights and the manosphere: xyonline.net/category/art...
Academic critiques: xyonline.net/content/mens...
3/3
Responding to backlash and resistance | www.xyonline.net
xyonline.net

(3) Show that men’s rights strategies in fact are harmful to men themselves.
(4) Provide services and resources for men.
The chapter is free here:
xyonline.net/sites/xyonli...
2/3
xyonline.net

Responding to anti-feminist men’s movements: Merely 21 years ago, I published a book chapter identifying four ways to do this. I still like it:
(1) Assert a feminist-supportive men’s perspective
(2) Speak to pain: Take up men’s rights issues, but differently
(3) Show that...
1/3

Improving responses to young men's use of intimate partner violence
This new report identifies key drivers and risk factors for young men's use of intimate partner violence, and explores emerging principles of engagement for effective interventions.
researchers.westernsydney.edu.au/en/publicati...
Improving Responses to Young Men's Use of Intimate Partner Violence: Towards a Best Practice Approach
researchers.westernsydney.edu.au

“Safe”, “shaming”, “consenting adults”: Responding to myths about sexual strangulation
By Collective Shout @CollectiveShout
www.collectiveshout.org/responding-t...
“Safe”, “shaming”, “consenting adults”: Responding to myths about sexual strangulation
for a world free of sexploitation
www.collectiveshout.org

US ‘on a trajectory’ toward authoritarian rule, ex-officials warn
A network of former intelligence and security officers says democratic decline is accelerating under Trump’s rule.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
US ‘on a trajectory’ toward authoritarian rule, ex-officials warn
A network of former intelligence and security officers says democratic decline is accelerating under Trump’s rule
www.theguardian.com

Online misogyny: the “manosphere”
Extremist digital sexism with dangerous real-world consequences
By Steve McCullough, Canadian Museum for Human Rights
humanrights.ca/story/online...
Online misogyny: the “manosphere” | CMHR
Digital misogyny is on the rise. Why do some men and boys get drawn into – and even seek out – extremist influencers and groups?
humanrights.ca

How the online manosphere fuels misogyny — and why young men are drawn in
By Choi Jeong-yoon, Korea Herald
www.koreaherald.com/article/1055...
How the online manosphere fuels misogyny — and why young men are drawn in
In the digital era, a new ecosystem of online creators, communities and algorithms is reshaping conversations around gender. Some of these spaces, known broadly
www.koreaherald.com

Trump’s Arena Advantage: Sports are a lifeline for an increasingly unpopular president
By the Young Men Research Initiative and Charlie Sabgir
youngmenresearchinitiative.substack.com/p/trumps-are...
Trump’s Arena Advantage
Sports are a lifeline for an increasingly unpopular president
youngmenresearchinitiative.substack.com

‘I realised I’d been ChatGPT-ed into bed’: how ‘Chatfishing’ made finding love on dating apps even weirder www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
‘I realised I’d been ChatGPT-ed into bed’: how ‘Chatfishing’ made finding love on dating apps even weirder
Where once people were duped by soft-focus photos and borrowed chat-up lines, now they have to watch out for computer-generated charm. But it’s one thing to use a witty phrase – another thing entirely...
www.theguardian.com

-- Whatever vision we have for men and boys, it must be:
feminist – based on equality
diverse and multiple
non-essentialist

-- Tackle not only the norms that express unhealthy and oppressive forms of manhood, but the institutional and structural forces that sustain these

3) Promote alternatives to the Man Box among boys and men
-- Boys and men cannot be what they cannot see
-- Promote healthy masculinity. And/or equitable and ethical ways of being

2) Weaken the cultural grip of the Man Box
-- Highlight the gap between masculine norms and men’s own ideals
-- Turn up the volume on diversity and change among men
-- Engage men and boys in critical conversations about manhood
-- Challenge the sources of patriarchal masculinity

1) Highlight the harms of the Man Box
-- Highlight the price of blind conformity to dominant masculine norms
-- Sensitise public health, welfare, & service provision to the harms of traditional masculinity
-- But also acknowledge male privilege

The ‘Man Box’: Rigid, traditional expectations about being a man that limit men’s and boys’ own wellbeing and harm those around them. Here are three broad ways to promote change, summarised from pp. 50-53 of this commentary: xyonline.net/sites/xyonli...
xyonline.net

Inspiring men to build a future free from violence
Catapult: Campus Action for Healthy Manhood
An initiative designed to grow the leadership of men to end violence through care, connection, and accountability.
catapultcampusaction.org
CATAPAULT – Campus Action for Healthy Manhood
catapultcampusaction.org

How would it feel if you were part of a brotherhood where men are free to show emotion, explore their interests, be real with one another, lead with compassion, and work together to end violence?
catapultcampusaction.org/ditchthescri...
4/4
Ditch the Script – CATAPAULT
catapultcampusaction.org

What if we ditch the script?
What if we were free to be?
What if you lived your life, not based on an old script someone else wrote for you, but on your terms?
How would your life change if you were part of a community that truly saw you, accepted you, and rooted for you?
3/4

Prove our worth through muscles, money, and body counts. Dominate others to get respect.
It tells us the type of hobbies or jobs we can have. The type of clothing we can wear. Who we can love and who we can’t.
The script tells us how we should live our lives.
But **** that!
2/4

As men, we’ve been told, we have to follow the script
Don’t stand out. Don’t show emotion. Don’t get soft. Don’t lean on others. Don’t speak up.
The script tells us to hide our true selves.
Put on a performance. Keep our guard up. Stand alone.
1/4

This is why the CATAPULT: Campus Action team is thrilled to announce the launch of Unscripted, a bold new campaign from Futures Without Violence that invites college men to ditch the stereotypes they’ve been taught about manhood and write their own stories.
catapultcampusaction.org/ditchthescri...
Ditch the Script – CATAPAULT
catapultcampusaction.org

Young Men Use OnlyFans for More than Just Porn
How the pay-per-view site is becoming an emotional support system
By Young Men Research Initiative and Naisha Roy
open.substack.com/pub/youngmen...
Young Men Use OnlyFans for More than Just Porn
How the pay-per-view site is becoming an emotional support system
open.substack.com

Consent education can help boys and young men develop the knowledge and skills needed to have equitable, respectful relationships and prevent gender-based violence.
New resource by the Sex Information & Education Council of Canada.
www.sieccan.org/consent-boys
Consent for Boys | SIECCAN
Developing effective consent education for boys
www.sieccan.org

The declining wellbeing of sole parents in Australia
Sole parent families, which are primarily households headed by women, experience considerable social and economic disadvantage.
apo.org.au/node/332449
The declining wellbeing of sole parents in Australia in the 21st century
Sole parent families, primarily headed by women, experience considerable social and economic disadvantage. Despite this, there is limited research that shows the specifics of this disadvantage. This r...
apo.org.au

Boys in the Digital Wild: Online Culture, Identity, and Well-Being
From social media to gaming, apps, and more, adolescent boys spend hours each day online. New research reveals how this relates to their identities, relationships, and emotional well-being.
www.commonsensemedia.org/research/boy...
Boys in the Digital Wild: Online Culture, Identity, and Well-Being
From social media to gaming, apps, and more, adolescent boys spend hours each day online. Our new research reveals how this relates to their identities, relationships, and emotional well-being.
www.commonsensemedia.org

The Reality of Porn: This 2nd podcast episode explores fantasy and taboo and asks whether is porn changing what we desire, or if it’s just reflecting our desires back at us.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5dU8y7A...
Website, including the transcript: open.spotify.com/show/5dU8y7A...
Episode Zero
open.spotify.com

Secretary Hegseth Doubles Down on his Culture War against Feminism
His “war on woke” is part of a broader male backlash against gender equity.
By Jackson Katz
jacksonkatz.substack.com/p/secretary-...
Secretary Hegseth Doubles Down on his Culture War against Feminism
His “war on woke” is part of a broader male backlash against gender equity
jacksonkatz.substack.com

Young Men Use OnlyFans for More than Just Porn
How the pay-per-view site is becoming an emotional support system
By Young Men Research Initiative and Naisha Roy
open.substack.com/pub/youngmen...
Young Men Use OnlyFans for More than Just Porn
How the pay-per-view site is becoming an emotional support system
open.substack.com

What actually works to prevent men’s violence? This month on Conversations for a Brave New World on @2MCE_FM, Prof Michael Flood & Dr Stephen Burrell join Assoc Prof Donna Bridges to discuss violence prevention programs.
2mce.org/podcast/masc...
“Masculinity Matters”: Michael Flood and Stephen Burrell on What Works in Violence Prevention
Conversations for a Brave New World is produced by the Gender Network (feminist, gender and queer research and practice) at CSU. We bring global, national and local issues about gender to the Central ...
2mce.org