Over the past decade, podcasts have turn into big business with greater than a fifth of UK adults. Listening to podcasts every week. The format particularly resonates with men, who discover with it greater than women. Podcast fans. There are also men. More representation As a podcast host.
In a society where Political division Increasingly between men and girls, this influential type of media is shaping expectations and experiences of gender. There is a perception amongst some that male-targeted podcasts are hosted strictly by “alpha males” who spout anti-feminist rhetoric and Rigid ideas of masculinity.
But the world of podcasts is each traditional and shifting. Ideas of masculinity. Some podcasts, including pro-feminist podcasts and people focused on men’s mental health, discuss Comprehensive and flexible ideas of masculinity.
In one A recent studywe examined how men profit from listening to men’s mental health podcasts. Research suggests. that podcasts can offer men a less disruptive option to have interaction with their mental health. This is essential given the present high rates of mental distress and suicide. Among men.
We interviewed listeners of a podcast produced by a UK-based men’s mental health support service. The service has roughly 300 users who engage with content online, a few of whom also contribute in person. Long-form episodes of the podcast feature conversations between men who’ve some connection to the service, in addition to the podcast host. They discuss their personal experiences helping others, breaking down taboos about mental health and offering emotional conversations between men. They openly discuss topics similar to grief, relationships, anger, substance abuse and suicide.
We found that any such content encouraged audiences to think about and challenge rigid ideas about masculinity. Many of the boys we interviewed talked about how the podcast demonstrated a culture of positive masculinity. One man said that the kindness between the boys interacting through the podcast made him realize that the version of masculinity he had previously internalized was not helpful.
The men we interviewed report feeling wiser and fewer isolated. Podcasts provided a catalyst for discussing difficult issues in addition to venting their emotional vulnerability.
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Men’s mental health will be affected by deeply ingrained, gendered values, attitudes and expectations placed on boys from a young age. Self-sufficiency and independenceFor example, there are characteristics which can be particularly characteristic of young boys. Encouraged to keep..
These barriers can act as barriers to men accessing traditional mental health support services. Counseling and psychotherapy. For men who don’t feel ready to have interaction in additional traditional types of help-seeking, mental health podcasts can provide an entry point for informational support.
It’s clear from our study that podcasts have the facility to influence their audience. When it involves issues like masculinity, this power should be used responsibly.
The reactionary side of men’s podcast
Podcasts will also be a vessel for normalizing and mainstreaming ideas which can be popular within the manosphere. It is an ecosystem of online communities united by anti-feminist values and its promotion. Dominance of men over women. This variety of content is commonly attractive to men who’re experiencing social isolation and private challenges.
Many podcasts aimed toward a male audience often discuss the topics of status, physical appeal and romantic relationships in a difficult way. They may offer self-improvement “hacks” for men, which can attract younger listeners who lack confidence and Finding a role model. Self-improvement to extend one’s “sexual market value” is a recurring theme within the manosphere. This can lead young men to have a reductive view of themselves and of girls.
While not overtly offensive content created by some manosphere personalities, similar, underlying tropes will be built into reasonable conversation through popular, mainstream, podcasts. Humor and irony could make regressive ideas palatable to audiences – subtly reinforcing sexism. framing it as a “joke”..
Often, these discussions are based on the justification of biological necessity. It is believed that men’s power over women is a natural and stuck social system based on biological sex differences.
It was behind one. Recent controversy Around an episode of Steven Bartlett’s popular podcast, The Diary of an ACEO. In it, Bartlett interviews a psychiatrist. Dr. Alok Kanojia. The couple talks about declining birth rates and male loneliness.
Bartlett asks whether there ought to be systemic intervention to be certain that solitary males can reproduce with females. Critics argued that this framing suggested that men were victims of political injustice—and that “injustice” Women’s Bodily Autonomy.
Amid massive social media backlash over the episode, a spokesperson for the podcast denied claims that the podcast promotes Manosphere theories. He noted that “Steven Bartlett does not adopt the opinions of his guests, nor is this format intended to judge personal viewpoints.”
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our Research Shows how podcasts can result in positive conversations around masculinity. For example, by sharing vulnerable discussions of how men experience the burden of traditional masculinity and Changing social roles.
Podcasts can encourage men to challenge limiting beliefs about sex, help them improve relationships and even encourage them to hunt more help.
In our research, we recommend strategies for podcast creators who wish to create content. Supports men’s mental health.. They should first ask how their content helps men consider versions of masculinity that don’t depend on the subordination of others. This approach may offer a counter-narrative to soft manosphere content: critical self-awareness, vulnerability moderately than irony, and avoidance of blame.