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The notions of fashion and style are riddled with messages from the realm of toxic masculinity. “Real men don’t wear pink”, “real men don’t paint their nails”, and “real men don’t wear Taylor Swift t-shirts.” What damage do these regressive ideals do to men who struggle with expression and identity, after all - “real men don’t express themselves.”To learn more about the damage ignoring style and fashion can do, as well as the benefits of embracing them can have, we speak with founder of MensStylePower, acclaimed journalist and stylist, Louise Edmonds.If you enjoy what we do with this series, you can support us for as little as $2 a month! Check out our patreon page for more information. https://www.patreon.com/join/theampitupcast?

Though it’s no excuse for domestic and family violence, adhering to regressive male behaviour tropes is a well known explanation for why men hurt the ones close to them. But of course, both issues are tangled in a myriad of other behavioural and social externalities. There’s no clear cut path to ending domestic and family violence through disavowing toxic masculinity but organizations such as No To Violence have developed successful and promising strategies nonetheless, working with men to end family violence.For this episode, we speak with Lizette Twisleton, Director, Practice and Programs at No To Violence about how the organisation works with men who use violence in their relationships, and their victims, to address the behaviour, change violent habits and monitor them to ensure cycles of abuse can be stopped.If you enjoy what we do with this series, you can support us for as little as $2 a month! Check out our patreon page for more information. https://www.patreon.com/join/theampitupcast?

The idea of being the toughest, meanest and fasted has become somewhat of an issue in our police and defence forces. In a position to serve and protect, what value would being tough, mean or fast actually have? We speak with former NSW Police officer and counter terrorism operative, Shane Horsburgh, who experienced a life changing conversation while training local police in Iraq which reconfigured how he understood what it is to be a ‘real man’ in this world, and why that constitution needs to change.Shane is also an acclaimed author, releasing Fighting Blind, a deep dive into his experience in Iraq and the sliding doors moment that gave him insight into the consequences of regressive male behaviourIf you enjoy what we do with this series, you can support us for as little as $2 a month! Check out our patreon page for more information. https://www.patreon.com/join/theampitupcast?

To truly get to the hard of the issue of toxic masculinity, it’s important to work directly with men to combat the issues that come with adhering to rigid social standards. What do we do when so much of pop culture tells us that using violence is the key to success, whether for good or evil? Enter the aptly named Menslink. Menslink have identified some startling statistics, including that 4 out of every 5 suicide attempts are done by men, which highlight the hazards that come with toxic masculinity. Menslink works with young guys who are experiencing hard times and large organisations who stand to benefit from a more expressive, open and balanced form of masculinity.To learn more about their work, we speak with the CEO of Menslink, Martin Fisk.If you enjoy what we do with this series, you can support us for as little as $2 a month! Check out our patreon page for more information. https://www.patreon.com/join/theampitupcast?

To kick off Season 3, The Amp It Up Podcast looks back to the origins of European settlement in Australia with our guest historian and author David Hunt. From behavioural guides handed out to new arrivals dictating the way men should conduct themselves to the unlikely rise of women’s rights, we look at what the history of European settlement in Australia tells us about our notions of what a ‘real man’ is today.David is an award winning author behind the critically acclaimed Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia, and the sequel True Girt.If you enjoy what we do with this series, you can support us for as little as $2 a month! Check out our patreon page for more information. https://www.patreon.com/join/theampitupcast?

While the concept of Toxic Masculinity has started picking up pace in recent years, in truth the battle has been ongoing for decades. In fact, Chuck Derry first picked up his torch to shine a light on regressive male behaviour back in 1980 and hasn’t put it down since, unwavering in his efforts challenging men to value women as equals and treat them with dignity. Throughout his tenure in this world, Chuck founded the Gender Violence Institute, co-founded the Minnesota Men’s Action Network: Alliance to Prevent Sexual and Domestic Violence in 2005 and was a founding member of the North American Men Engage Network (NAMEN).Chuck’s experience is outmatched only by his passion on the topic of toxic masculinity, and his wisdom was a fitting finale for Season 3.If you enjoy what we do with this series, you can support us for as little as $2 a month! Check out our patreon page for more information. https://www.patreon.com/join/theampitupcast?

Why do we so often ask "Why did she stay with him?" when we hear about domestic violence?Why don't we ask "why does he keep doing it?"This is one of the prevailing wisdoms challenged in Jess Hills new book See What You Made Me Do.See What You Made Me Do also addresses the fact that we needn't wait generations to ween out domestic violence, we could make it happen today, tomorrow - this bloody week if we really wanted to.Joined by her husband David for this episode, Jess and David are, essentially, a power couple when it comes to understanding the baffling behaviour of humans, both with their noses pressed to the issue of toxic masculinity, studying how it became such a problem and how we can make an about face before more damage is done.

Last week, we spoke with Dr Mark Kulkens about the potential benefits of working with men's shame, and turning it into guilt - which has a social purpose. This week, we're looking at where we can go next... what happens when we accept that there is a need for change? Enter the Respectful Man program, an initiative kicked off by not for profit relationship service Interrelate.Using lived experiences and real-world solutions, the Respectful Man program teaches, among other things - respect, in multiple forms; respect for others and respect for yourself. The program then gives participants the tools needed to build and sustain health relationships. Already, the results are speaking for themselves with many young men emerging from the other side of the project more emotionally mature, respectful and respectable.

Shame is something society tries to cast away; to hide. Shame is treated as a negative, but what if it wasn't? That is the premise of the work undertaken by Clinical Psychologist Mark Kulkens. Mark focuses on guiding people to be the best they can be, and step along that path is to accept shame, rather than hide it, and learn from it.Shame is secret, and often buried too deep to be of any use. What happens when we unearth our shame? It can be morphed into guilt. Guilt, as opposed to shame, serves a social purpose. Guilt is expressed, it's rectified and is often a teachable moment.We spoke with Mark about using Men's shame as a tool to dig up the roots of toxic masculinity.

Humour is a funny thing. It can delight, it can offend...it can do both at once and it can do neither. It'll always make you think, however. This is something Graeme Bowman has cottoned onto in his crusade to dismantle the patriarchy one keynote speech at a time.Much of Graeme's work is done through hoax keynote speeches. He brings his wisdom and insights into a more equal, equitable society to these events, but delivers them as a character, breaking the monotony of 'this stuff' and bringing it to audiences in a new, and funny way.Art and entertainment is Graeme's weapon against the toxic masculinity, and he fights on many fronts with an arsenal that includes hoax keynote speeches, comedy, poetry and, well, fun slogans.We spoke to Graeme to get some more insight into his MO. And why 'the old boys club' is placed firmly in his sights.

If you've found this series, there's a good chance you've already found Man Up, on Slate. Aymann Ismail has a lot of hands on experience dealing with people, opinions and beliefs, experience that he draws on to have difficult conversations for a good cause.Aymann is one of the few souls out there who have decided to approach the issue of toxic masculinity via podcast. As such, it was a cool opportunity for us to compare notes, share war stories and ultimately ponder on the big question - what happens when you talk about toxic masculinity?

Welcome to the first feedback loop mini episode from The Amp It Up Podcast! For this mini episode, host Mike Hohnen speaks with A Man's Problem founder and podcast co-producer Lula Dembele about Episodes 1 and 2 of the new season. We take a deeper dive into the topics we discussed including Petitions, Tattoos, HIV and of course, toxic masculinity

You'll find very few people with as much hands on experience in the social change space as Tracy McLeod Howe. In her storied career, Tracy has occupied roles all the way up the chain to CEO at a plethora of organisations concerned with promoting equality, understanding and change.Now, Tracy champions Childhood Domestic Violence Australia, along with Lula, who founded A Man's problem and featured in season 1.This week, we draw on Tracy's immense experience to chat about the importance of hearing children's lived experiences, and how working with kids can break the chains of toxic masculinity.

Based in Minneapolis, tailorbird tattoo studio was established to create an environment free from the prison of toxic masculinity. The shop takes great pride in establishing a safe and secure vibe for all genders identities and sexual orientations, void of the dreaded heteronormative "Bro-Down" between men eager to be seen as tough lest another man in the room think they aren't tough. Void of the dick measuring contest between artists, and void of oppressive energy.This week, we spoke with one of the founders of Tailorbird tattoo, the incredibly insightful Ariel Cafarelli to learn more about the climate within the tattoo world that led to the creation of Tailorbird

Welcome to season 2 of the Amp It Up Podcast! We have new original music and also a Patreon page! Head on over to www.patreon.com/theampitupcast to find out how you can support what we do, and score some exclusive content.This week, we speak with Campaigns Director from Change.Org and founder of The Institute Of Many, Nic Holas. Nic talks us through his career, and the perspective his work in activism has afforded him on how we might go about changing hearts and minds of society on important issues including HIV acceptance, and toxic masculinity. "We must demand change, we can't relent", Nic explains in the first episode of one new season.

Following the release of her book Troll Hunting, social justice journalist Ginger Gorman has become an important voice in the current discussion involving the whole world on Internet Trolls. While technically someone who uses the internet against another person, Troll is an eclectic term, with no two Internet Trolls behaving the same way. There is at least one concrete similarity, one that Ginger couldn't help but notice as she researched her book Troll Hunting - Trolls, as it seems, are almost exclusively angry, white men.It may not surprise anyone to hear, but Trolling plays to the tune of Toxic Masculinity almost note for note. A theory we explored with Ginger in the season one finale.

In a previous episode, we discussed with comedian Jamie Loftus the impacts of Toxic Masculinity on the stage. We're sure you're SHOCKED to hear that backstage is also rife with regressive male behaviour.Picture a stage, crowded by performers and technical professionals eager (read: desperate) to be seen as "real men" by their peers; "Real men" who get their way, "Real men" who great any challenge with anger, "Real men" who dismiss expert advise from anyone the deem as a lesser specimen - even at the expense of the quality of their performance. This week, we speak with Sound Engineer and Technical Director Monique Orton, who's experience working behind the sound desk at some of Sydney's finest venues has provided her with otherwise unobtainable insight into impact Toxic Masculinity has on Live Performance. Monique shares her experiences in this world, and offers some much needed options for challenging inappropriate behaviour.

How ethical do businesses need to be?We expect businesses to follow laws, standards and social expectations, but as we saw with the reaction to Gillette's recent marketing campaign that focused on the spread of regressive male behaviour, there's a line that can't be crossed, and that line is Marketing. But, why? Marketing has always had a lot of skin in social dynamics. Informed by our whims, personalities, wants and desires, marketing says as much about us as it does any brand or product. Can businesses use the power of marketing to promote positive social change? Should they bother? And what's in it for them? This week, we speak with author of Path To Purpose and founder of The Cause Effect, cause-led marketing pioneer Carolyn Butler Madden.

You may have recently heard Jonah Hill renouncing his contributions to the culture of bro-comedy, opting to focus on work that pushes back on the kind of behaviour glorified in SuperBad.Issues like race or politics or gender inequality often come to the surface when we let our guard down to laugh and that is one of many reasons why the comedy world is an interesting case study for toxic masculinity, and ways to challenge it. What does the world of comedy tell us about manhood?Do real men tell jokes about sexual assault? Do real men laugh at them?Recently comedy specials including Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette have blown open the discussion on toxic masculinity and comedy, giving lead to well-overdue conversations...Like this one...with LA-based Comedian, Writer, and Co-host of The Bechdel Cast, Jamie Loftus.

There was a time where if you saw James 'The Hammer' Harding walking towards you, you could be in for a world of trouble. Now, it most likely means you're about to received a valuable message about self, ego and vulnerability. Following a career operating deep within the abyss of Melbourne's Underworld, James Harding is now working directly with men to help them reconnect with their emotions, vulnerability and instinct after releasing his book Hard Cuddles.