Bioneer,
Amidst the increasing conversation about the overlaps between patriarchy, gender violence and the environmental and social impacts of unfettered capitalism, the question of what “masculinity” has to do with it all has quietly been gaining steam. What is “Toxic Masculinity” and how can we collectively work to transform and heal people of all gender identities? It’s a process that requires an understanding and recognition of the deep-seated trauma that led us to this place.
In this week’s newsletter, thought leaders Jerry Tello, Kevin Powell and Dallas Goldtooth discuss first-hand experiences that caused them to reevaluate archetypal masculinity, and why it’s so important to redefine what it means to be a man in our culture.
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Person to Know: Jerry Tello
Of Mexican, Texan and Coahuiltecan ancestry, Jerry Tello was raised in South Central Los Angeles and has worked for 40+ years as a leading expert in transformational healing for men and boys of color; racial justice; peaceful community mobilization; and providing domestic violence awareness, healing and support services to war veterans and their spouses. He will join us at the 2019 Bioneers Conference to speak about his important work. Below is an excerpt of a conversation with Tello about “toxic masculinity” and how society can effectively raise and work with men and boys to improve their lives and the lives of those who depend on and love them.
In our traditional Indigenous culture, we don’t categorize masculine or feminine. You just are. You’re part of the trees, you’re part of the universe, you’re part of the sun, part of the moon. And when we pray, we pray in honoring those four directions. We honor the masculine, the feminine, the child, and the elder.
In our traditional way, we have all of those elements in us. And one that is healed can go and move and sit in any direction and be comfortable. Sometimes we have to sit in the feminine direction.
Our prophecies say that right now, we as men need to sit in the women’s direction and be quiet and listen, and let them lead. Now is the time in which the feminist is going to guide. If we do not allow the feminine to guide, which is really the basis of healing, of listening, of paying attention, of being present, then this world is going to continue to be toxic. Read more here. |
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This Week on Bioneers Radio & Podcast
To transform our culture from its focus on dominance and hierarchy to one of connection, empathy and collaboration, it’s vital that we re-envision the essential (or archetypal) masculine, which changes everything. This rarely tackled topic is the subject of a deeply authentic dialogue among Playwright and activist Eve Ensler and three men working to change men and change the story: Tony Porter, co-founder, A Call To Men; Dallas Goldtooth, Indigenous activist, member of the 1491’s Native American comedy troupe; George Lipsitz, board president, African American Policy Forum.
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Video of the Week: Re-defining Manhood: A Message to Men, to Boys, to Us All
In this brutally honest and provocative talk, Kevin Powell offers his own life journey to illustrate how we can transform our concepts of manhood. Raised by a single mother, Kevin’s rites of passage were typical of many heterosexual males: sports, violence, and viewing women and girls as mother figures or sexual objects, and nothing more. This view of women and girls exploded when, in his early 20s, he pushed a girlfriend into a bathroom door during an argument. Decades later, thanks to years of therapy, study, healing, and a commitment to growth and change, Kevin has become a solution-oriented writer, activist and speaker seeking to re-define manhood around nonviolence, peace, love, healthy self-expression, and as an ally to women and people of all gender identities. |
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Book to Read: Breaking Out of the Man Box
In Breaking Out of the Man Box (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016), Tony Porter identifies the well-meaning man as someone who thinks he supports and uplifts women but, in actuality, perpetuates the concept that women are useful solely as objects for male entertainment or pleasure. These men, as powerhouses in a male-dominated society, have a responsibility to call their fellow men to action, to begin to create a society in which women are valued for infinitely more qualities than their ability to satisfy the opposite gender. The fight for gender equality is one of the most significant struggles in the world today, and Tony Porter’s work to enlist men is an absolutely fundamental component. The following excerpt is from the chapter “Property and Sexual Objects.”
In our male-dominated society, objectification of women is commonplace. Breaking down and analyzing objectification and the idea of women as property explains how men come to view women as being of less value. These ideas come from the man box where our socialization leads us to believe that the primary purpose of women (objects) is to support, serve, comfort, satisfy, and entertain men. We often place more value on a woman with more desirable physical features than we do on a woman with high-quality, intangible characteristics.
We should think critically about how we look at women and also how we use them to relax, relieve stress, and entertain ourselves as if they are commodities. Women have more to offer, despite what we have been trained to think and the constant messages we receive from pop culture and other social cues. Whether in the music and entertainment industry, corporate America, communities of faith, or on the street corner, women are treated by men as objects or mere body parts. This has become widely accepted and embraced by mainstream society. For instance, magazines, music videos, advertisements, and commercials exploit women and their bodies. Those images we see on a daily basis condition us to see body parts instead of human beings with opinions, emotions, thoughts, and ideas. Also, take a look at fashion trends for women. Mini-skirts, low-rise jeans, thongs (that show), push-up bras, halter tops, tight-fitting clothing, etc. are all meant to bring more attention to women’s body parts. Ironically, you can often find replicas in children’s clothing stores as well. In some of these stores you can purchase pants for a two-year-old girl with sayings like “cutie pie” or “honey” embroidered across the buttocks. Here we have clothing, supposedly suitable for an adult woman, made for a child. This goes to show how early body parts become the focal point on the body of a female. Also, keep in mind that the driving force behind many of these companies is a man, most likely a well-meaning man. Read on. |
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Don’t Miss: Relational Mindfulness with Nina Simons
This year, Bioneers cofounder Nina Simons and Deborah Eden Tull, the founder of Mindful Living Revolution, will host two more workshops in a series on Relational Mindfulness. The duo will lead attendees on the path to becoming more effective and regenerative leaders, and will share learning practices that aim to center and ground you. Interested in attending? The first workshop will take place July 28 to August 2 at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. Then the duo will visit the SunMountain Center in Manitou Springs, CO, from September 16 to 20, for a workshop specifically designed for all those who identify as women. Find out how to register here. |
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What We’re Tracking:
World-renowned linguist and political dissident Noam Chomsky shares his thoughts on the Green New Deal, why it’s the right move, and what we’ve learned from the old New Deal. (via Democracy Now!) - From Chicago to Milan, these 15 urban design projects are the result of the Reinventing Cities competition and show us what a zero-carbon future could look like. (Adele Peters via Fast Company)
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The Latest from Bioneers.org:
In 2002, author and environmental activist Paul Hawken gave a keynote address on the effects corporate capitalism and control, wealth disparity and social injustice have on the environment—and it’s just as relevant today. Read an excerpt here. - Filmmaker John Chester and his wife Molly took a leap of faith leaving city life behind to become farmers with the ambitious goal of bringing life back to a lifeless 200-acre piece of land. John documented their many failures and ultimate success in the film The Biggest Little Farm. Arty Mangan, Bioneers Restorative Food Systems Director, interviewed John about his travails and triumphs.
In this excerpt from his New York Times best-selling book Falter, Bill McKibben discusses the human game and how climate change could unravel humanity as we know it. Want a free copy of Falter? Read this excerpt for information on how you can get one.
A former commercial fisherman turned restorative ocean farmer, Bren Smith channeled a career of knowledge into his new book Eat Like a Fish, which is part memoir and part manifesto. In this excerpt, he shares a bold vision for the future of food: seaweed.
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