Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations

'I am not just man. I am not just masculinity. Those boxes of gender are so unhelpful to me. I want to collapse them and in that way become less lonely, and more comfortable with myself.'

James McDermott talks to poet and educator Lewis Buxton about the pressures and responsibilities of being being a young man in the 21st century, toxic masculinity, and poetry.

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.com

Produced by Story Machine Productions: www.storymachineproductions.co.uk

Music by Jordan Mallory-Skinner

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

'Stop running. Ask who you are. And don't be afraid to ask for help. The brilliant thing is that when you ask for help you usually get it.'

James McDermott talks to Paul Wheeler of Ascend Adventure about young men and the call to adventure.

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.com

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

'Everything was insanely full. And I could tell myself this story that it was all good and I was doing well. But my body knew otherwise. There's wisdom in our bodies that our minds aren't yet aware of.'

James McDermott speaks with writer and coach Dan Simmons about his journey to living his own authentic self.

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.com

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

'I had to ask myself: who are the people who are happy to keep using phrases like "man-up", "men don't cry", "you're crying like a girl". These phrases make me feel uncomfortable.'

James talks to Nisha, an occupational therapist, about her experiences of gender and race.

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.com

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

'I wish I had been more myself when I was going through school. You just try to fit in. If we all realised that at 16 then those formative years would be a lot easier.'

James McDermott talks to Ben Richardson, bookshop manager and father, about his journey to manhood.

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.com

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

'I sat there for an hour, crying. Every vulnerable thing that I'd stopped myself from being came out. And it felt amazing!...My breakdown was one of the best things that every happened to me. That is when I started being me.'

James McDermott talks to Yogesh Mistry, about his experiences of masculinity, racism, and anxiety,

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.com

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

‘I felt like I was smoke and mirrors: putting on an act to try to be what I thought a man should be, rather than having any sense of who I was as me.’

James McDermott talks to podcast producer Sam Ruddock about addiction, fertility, male potency, and moving away from ego.

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.com

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

‘I hope by talking to other men about that baggage about being a man, we can get rid of the stuff that isn’t useful anymore, put back stuff that is useful, and acquire new things from each other that might help us as well.’

Before talking to other people, host James McDermott explores his own relationship to masculinity.

He is interviewed by podcast producer Sam Ruddock, Director of Story Machine Productions.

Hosted by James McDermott: www.jamesmcdermottwriter.weebly.comProduced by Story Machine Productions: www.storymachineproductions.co.ukMusic by Jordan Mallory-Skinner

For more on Mantor: The Masculinity Conversations see here.

Supported by Arts Council England's Emergency Fund.

James McDermott introduces the new podcast.