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E77: Caring Men = Stronger Communities | Equimundo's Gary Barker on Masculinity, Fatherhood, and Breaking the Cycle of Violence - Real Men, Real Conversations
Description
In this week's episode of Aspire, Alex Prout is joined by his daughter and co-host Lucy Prout, along with student interns Ryan and Sylvie, for a conversation with Gary Barker, founder and CEO of Equimundo Center for Masculinities and Social Justice. Gary reflects on the personal experiences that led him into this work, including violence he witnessed in school and his early exposure to neglect, abuse, and silence around harm.
The conversation explores how boys and men learn harmful ideas about strength, silence, and dominance, and how those norms can shape relationships, identity, and violence. Gary explains why he centers care in his work, arguing that boys and men need examples of emotional connection, fatherhood, self-care, and community responsibility if we want to prevent violence upstream rather than just responding after harm has happened.
Ryan and Sylvie share their own experiences of speaking up, while Lucy reflects on the importance of collective responsibility and restorative approaches. The episode closes with a hopeful vision of aspirational masculinity: one that makes room for tenderness, accountability, and choosing who you want to be rather than inheriting a narrow script.
To learn more about Equimundo, visit: equimundo.org
To join I Have The Right To's fight for a world free of sexual violence, please visit: ihavetherightto.org/take-action/
Aspire is produced by BenHudakProductions.com