Headship? Wives submitting to husbands? Yep, we're talking about Christian MASKulinity this week with the help of theologian and author Dr. James Spencer. The hosts start out reflecting on how much Christianity has impacted not only their own lives but American life as a whole. What has our society retained as a nation founded by Chiristian men? The hosts set the stage for the conversation.What exactly did these two former Christians learn about gender and masculinity in church? They share the views that their respective churches had on gender and how they were taught to be in that context. When they compare their learnings and experiences to James’s biblical conclusion of what it means to be a Christian man, they discover key differences. Men are expected to be the final decision maker on everything, and people will often turn to the Bible to prove that point. But what if that’s not what God intended? James gives us  Where in the Bible does it say men should be in charge? When it comes to marital relationships, a very specific verse tends to come up to justify male leadership, but there seems to be some context missing. Samantha gives us the verse, and James fills in the blanks.The idea of headship comes up consistently when folks say that men’s leadership is a biblical mandate. It’s not just because the biological essentialist claim that men are better leaders in the home, because they’re men; it’s also because God said so. But does the Bible actually back that up? James lets us know. Christian men don’t have to be married to have integrity with their faith. James gives us insight into what different Christian masculinities can look like… Referenced on this episode: Inclusivity & Gender in Christianity - Two religious leaders lend their thoughts to the  gender debate in Christianity today Myths of Male Headship Dr. James Spencer’s podcast, Thinking Christian (Samantha mistakenly mentioned Christian First , which is the name of the framework he teaches courses in) COMPANION PIECES: Notes on Christian MASKulinity - our new Substack piece The Anti-Anti-Porn Episode about Christian men and porn

Powerful few days in Ottawa 🇨🇦 I met with Minister for Women and Gender Equality Rechie Valdez and Member of Parliament Fares Al Soud as part of the #16Days campaign. We showcased how Next Gen Men is...

I was recently chatting with a ninth grader in Next Gen Men’s Discord server, NGM Alliance, who had been expressing some mental health struggles. “I want to be left alone this week,” he told me. “So c...

How have we gone this long without talking about it? That’s right… We’re talking about porn this week, but it may not be what you think. Remoy enlists the help of Dr. Kelsy Burke to understand how the term “porn addiction” came to be, and exactly what the folks who came up with this term had in store. It’s hard to believe that Remoy starts this conversation at Christianity, but he does. He sets the tone for the conversation by getting the tea on the hosts’ humble Christian beginnings. Remoy shares how porn and Christianity intersect and the warnings men receive in church. Dr. Kelsy Burke explains how the notion of “porn addiction” and men’s Christianity intersect… and somehow work well together. Why would using the term “porn addiction” be co-opted by Christian men?  Kelsy lets us know about that too… Lots of things popped off in the 80s! That includes Christian sex scandals. Listen to Kelsy break down how conservatives of that era bring MASKulinity and the “porn addiction” rhetoric together to control the narrative. What about women? Can they be “addicted” to porn? Soooo, is porn bad or naw?? Samantha shares the oxymoron that pops up between cishet men and women. Kelsy goes on to describe how conservatism and conversations around sex in Christian circles lead to upholding the system we all know and (don’t) love. We know at least some of you have heard of No Fap November.  Christian men are using this strategy as a show of masculine strength. Guess where this theory/strategy came from… This anti-porn rhetoric and scapegoating is everywhere, including government… Referenced on this episode: Interested in learning more about all that Dr. Burke’s uncovered? Read more in their book: The Pornography Wars: The Past, Present, and Future of America’s Obscene Obsession You can also catch some of the highlights from Dr. Burke’s book over in their 2020 article over at Slate: Sinning Like a Man COMPANION PIECES: We talked about substance use disorders (addiction at the time) and MASKulinity a long time ago: Figure It Out: The Connection between Masculinity and Addiction Addiction: Men Are Twice as Likely, with Justin Lioi and other New Yorkers Exploring Commonalities in Addiction, a Mini Field Study

We’re back with our first original episode of the season! Our guest, Joe Wilkes, culture and policy writer and editor and fashion stylist, takes the mic with us to talk Black Dandyism. Many of us didn’t know this term prior to this year’s MET exhibition and gala theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style Our guest gave us some important notes on the role fashion can play for men in resisting the expectations of MASKulinity.. What is Black dandyism? Joe Wilkes gives us a definition and takes us through its origins.You may be surprised to find out where it started… But eventually people made it their own. Having a sense of style for Black men in the 19th and early 20th century was new and hard for some to accept. Extravagance or lack thereof causes people to classify men’s masculinity, especially, BIPOC men’s masculinity—why is that…? Joe’s answer evokes the racial hierarchy of masculinity. The universal suit men wear today wasn’t always the masculine standard... Samantha takes Remoy through where the “dandy” term comes from and the impact it had on menswear.In Europe, aristocratic styles thrived on excess and extravagance, but something we take for granted today was previously reserved for the aristocratic and royal classes. A middle-class man who had an in with the who’s who of Regency London altered the course of menswear for centuries to come.  Dandyism becomes a dress code that equalizes classes. Men’s style evolved with the advent of a new age. Understated and tailored styles became the standard for fashion, at least for quite some time.  Men of different races embraced dandyism differently. Why is that? How is fashion resistance exactly? Joe helps us understand why fashion was so important to Black men’s identity and dignity.At a certain point, the desire for authenticity and liberation starts to trump survival, a reflection of the times in the ‘60s and ‘70s. But then, to avoid being deemed feminine or being subject to homophobia, men toned their look down. Joe explains how a specific event brought that on. Joe shares a little of his own history, having to alter his look based on the community he was around. But perhaps there is a group of men who are allowed to wear whatever they want with way less criticism… Take a guess which group that is… If cishet men have unspoken requirements to meet what masculinity is supposed to look and dress like, does that mean queer men get more leeway? Joe shares some insights… Fashion is resistance but it’s not just that. Joe ends on a positive note we all need to keep in mind.. Some questions we’re still wondering about: How has your own fashion sense evolved? Do you dress to be authentic or to blend in as best as possible?  Can the way men dress dictate how masculine they are? Does the way certain men present themselves put manhood and/or masculinity at risk for some people? What do we say to the Brummel-thinking folks who think masculinity requires men to dress with “understated elegance”? Let us know in the comments below! Referenced on this episode: Exploring Dandyism and Black Expression: A Roundtable Discussion ; led by our guest Joe Wilkes MET’s exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style Monica L. Miller’s book Slave to Fashion , the inspiration for the MET theme Beau Brummell's Revolution: The Rise of the Modern Men's Suit in the 19th Century The Zoot Suit Riots and Wartime Los Angeles COMPANION PIECES: History of the Black dandy ; more history of Black Dandyism Dandyism around the world The Evolution of Black Masculinity Through Fashion  (TW, expletive used)

This season of MASKulinity is all about Relationships and Resistance, and we're starting with resistance. What does resistance look like as performance art—more specifically, theater? Your favorite literati doy, Remoy George Philip thee First's, latest production, Performing the Revolution, explores this question in a four-part series.We're dropping the first episode in our feed to set the tone for the season. This series is a powerful reminder that community and perseverance are requirements for social change, and that joy and play can be part of resistance. Samantha first interviews journalist and documentarian Ida Hardin, coproducer on the podcast, to get some between-the-lines questions answered. Themes of resilience, grief, and liberation echo through this first episode set in New Delhi. ***** Performing the Revolution, "in India" Meet Jana Natya Manch, a.k.a. JANAM, one of India's storied street theatre companies. We follow their journey from one of their most crucial, catalyzing and tragic moments in the 1980's, all the way through to the work they make today. Then where can you listen to Performing the Revolution: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4klSwQSuzly63HdKfGt1ce Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/performing-the-revolution/id1765455380 Everywhere: https://pod.link/1765455380

A 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...