Men have been getting bad press lately, and rightfully so. As toxic behaviors of men continue to get exposed, it is important to celebrate healthy masculinity advocates; the men that have been fighting the good fight way before it was popular. Being an unabashed male feminist or simply speaking out against the harmful consequences of patriarchy as men, can be scary and dangerous. Yet the courage and the beauty of those advocates must be noted and celebrated.
I had the privilege to meet a few of them, and to interact with a few others online. Regardless, all those healthy masculinity advocates have inspired me to build this platform and challenged me to become a better men. It was really hard to narrow it down to 10. It will give me an opportunity a round two of healthy masculinity advocates. ? I should also note that I purposely only included male healthy masculinity advocates on this list in an effort to shed light on the bright and best side on manhood, which is much needed on this time of darkness.
1. Michael Kimmel
Bio: Michael Kimmel is one of the world’s leading experts on men and masculinities. He is the SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Stony Brook University. Among his many books are Manhood in America, Angry White Men, The Politics of Manhood, The Gendered Society and the best seller Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men. With funding from the MacArthur Foundation, he founded the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook in 2013. He was recently called “the world’s most prominent male feminist” in The Guardian newspaper in London. | Website | Facebook | Twitter
2. Tony Porter
3. Gary Barker
Bio: Gary Barker is President and CEO of Promundo. He has conducted extensive global research and program development around engaging men and boys in gender equality and violence prevention, and is a leading voice for the worldwide effort to establish positive, healthy dynamics between men and women. Gary is the co-founder of MenCare, a global campaign to promote men’s involvement as equitable, non-violent caregivers, and co-founder of MenEngage, a global alliance of more than 700 NGOs and UN agencies working toward gender equality. | Website | Facebook | Twitter
4. Justin Baldoni
Bio: Justin Baldoni is an actor, director and entrepreneur whose efforts are focused on creating impactful media. He can be seen playing Rafael on CW’s award-winning phenomenon Jane the Virgin. In 2012, Baldoni created the most watched digital documentary series in history, My Last Days, a show about living told by the dying. On the heels of that success, Baldoni founded Wayfarer Entertainment, a digital media studio focused on disruptive inspiration. | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
5. Jackson Katz
Bio: Jackson Katz, Ph.D., is an educator, author, filmmaker and cultural theorist who is internationally renowned for his pioneering scholarship and activism on issues of gender, race and violence. He has long been a major figure and thought leader in the growing global movement of men working to promote gender equality and prevent gender violence. He is co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), one of the longest-running and most widely influential gender violence prevention programs in North America, and the first major program of its kind in the sports culture and the military. Website | Facebook | Twitter
6. Mark Greene
Bio: Mark Greene is a writer, speaker and filmmaker. Greene writes and speaks on culture, society, family and fatherhood. His work is a timely and balanced look at the life affirming changes emerging from the modern masculinity movement. He writes and speaks on men’s issues for the Good Men Project, the Shriver Report, the New York Times, Salon, the BBC and the Huffington Post. Mark Greene’s articles for the Good Men Project have received over 250,000 Facebook shares and ten million page views. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
7. Carlos Andrés Gómez
Bio: Carlos Andrés Gómez is an award-winning poet, speaker, actor, and author of the memoir Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood, released by Penguin Random House. A star of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, TV One’s Verses and Flow, and Spike Lee’s #1 movie Inside Man with Denzel Washington, you may know him from his viral poems, “Where are you really from?” and “What Latino Looks Like,” which have garnered millions of views online. Carlos recently partnered with John Legend for Senior Orientation, a program to counteract bullying and champion inclusive masculinity among high school students. He’s a proud Latino and father. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
8. Wade Davis
Bio: Former NFL Player Wade Davis is a thought leader, public speaker, and consultant on gender, race, and orientation equality. Wade is the NFL’s first LGBT inclusion consultant and currently consults for numerous professional sports leagues on issues at the intersection sexism, racism and homophobia. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
9. Joe Ehrmann
Bio: Joe Ehrmann, an All American football player, was named to Syracuse University’s All-Century Team, lettered in lacrosse and received the Arents Award, SU’s Most Distinguished Alumni honor for his contributions to society. Joe played professional football for 13 years and was named Baltimore Colt’s Man of the Year. He was the NFL’s first Ed Block Courage Award Recipient, and named “The Most Important Coach in America” by Parade Magazine. Website | Facebook | Twitter
10. Tom Keith
Bio: Author, Filmmaker and Educator, Dr. Thomas Keith teaches philosophy and gender studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and Claremont Graduate University, where he received his Ph.D. in 2001. Dr. Keith specializes in American philosophy and pragmatism with an emphasis on issues of race, class, and gender. | Website
Who did I miss? If there is one or more healthy masculinity advocates you would like to recommend, please reach out to me via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.