The Man Rules

Why are we afraid of giving "girl toys" to little boys? Why don't we have those same fears about giving little girls "boy toys?" Delene van Dyke, a sexuality and gender diversity educator from South Africa, explains how all of that has to do with the way we tend to put everything into binary categories. This or that. Either this or that. Black or white. Boy or girl. Gay or straight.

And what about the labels of "gay or straight?" Are those categories even as simple a label as they seem? For example, particular sexual behaviors, like receiving anal stimulation during sex have been identified as quintessential marks of male homosexuality. But many men who identify as straight also enjoy varying degrees of anal stimulation. Does that mean that they are secretly gay, or that human sexuality is more nuanced and complex than we've been led to believe? The problem, as she brilliantly has shown, is that we've conflated what really should be separate phenomena - gender, sexual identity, body parts, and sexual behavior.

This episode may help you understand more of the "whys" behind some of our society's biggest social issues right now. And, as Delene says on the show, once you know the why, the how--particularly how to effect positive change--will often take care of itself. It's usually when people step outside of their binary boxes that the magic happens.

In this episode of The Man Rules podcast, The Deep Dive Guys (Tim Walsh, Michael Dinneen, and Dan) talk about the ways in which they felt "different" as kids, the consequences, both internal and external, that they experienced for breaking The Man Rules, and the ways in which they are striving to change the rules and make things different for their kids.

What does it mean to be a "sensitive man" or a "tough girl?" How can we make sure that the gender-positive message we send our kids at home override the negative message they receive out in the world?

Mentioned in This Episode

Pictures of Tim's Most Recent Outdoor Adventure

Anchorman, one our producer's favorite movies of all time, which was only alluded to because none of the guys could remember its name, leaving said producer trapped in a glass case of outrage and emotion. Insert video clip: https://youtu.be/5fmHCNfowbQ

About the Deep Dive Guys

For more information about Tim Walsh, check out his website timwalshconsulting.com. And, you can find Michael Dinneen on LinkedIn.

If you're confused about what women want sexually, it may be because many of them are confused themselves, though through no fault of their own.

Most of us, men as well as women, feel confusion about sex and our sexuality, but this episode focuses solely on women's particular struggles. Our guest Kit Maloney offers women a special opportunity to take a pleasure pledge, in which they commit to exploring their own sexual pleasure, on their own terms, every day in February, capitalizing on a month that already celebrates love, romance, and healthy sexuality at its best.

Kit also talks to Dan about the ways in which women are encouraged by our culture to disconnect from their bodies, to avoid exploring about their own sexual pleasure, and to look outwardly toward men and the media for cues on what they should and should not want sexually, rather than relying on her own inner values and desires.

So what can men do with this information? How can men, especially straight men, support women in this journey? Kit shares some great tips on how men can move beyond their own fears and insecurities about female pleasure, and support women in their journey to discover their authentic sexual selves.

Why are so many of us confused about consent? The idea has come up a lot lately in the wake of the #metoo movement. And, discussions about it recently intensified with reactions to the story a woman named "Grace" told to Babe.net about a sexual encounter she had with comedian Aziz Ansari. On news sites and Facebook feeds nationwide, people are asking, "Was that encounter assault, misconduct, or just a bad date? Is Aziz Ansari a good guy or bad guy? Is "Grace" a victim or a liar?

According to Mike Domritz, who has been teaching audiences far and wide about consent for years, these are the wrong questions to ask. He and Dan talk about what consent really means and what it doesn't, and about what's at stake when we're too afraid to ask the right questions. Isn't "consent" really the least we can do? What if we built a culture of mutuality instead? What if every person truly had the freedom to choose whether they wanted to engage sexually, without guilt, pressure, coercion, or the specter of gendered cultural expectations?

Was 2017 the year of the woman? It certainly could be seen that way. We watched a presidential election cycle that featured the first female party nominee for president. We watched many women (and some men) come forward about their experiences with discrimination, harassment, sexual assault and abuse at the hands of some of our nation's most prominent and powerful men. We've seen women pointing out injustices from the streets of Washington, D.C. to the stage at the Golden Globes.

The times are changing for sure. And, while hardly anyone would argue that these changes aren't positive, it's also true that change almost always brings with it some level of fear and uncertainty. Even the most open-minded, conscientious, and equality-loving man may wonder where all of this leaves him, and to navigate relationships with women in both his personal and professional life going forward…well, it can be quite a bit overwhelming. And confusing.

In this episode, Dan and Andrea Sauceda, the Executive Producer of The Man Rules podcast, talk about their own perceptions of the progress being made toward gender equality and how men and women can bridge the gap.

Happy New Year! And welcome to the annual tradition of making resolutions without much resolve. This year, though, could really be your year. Instead of relying on willpower to achieve your goals, rely on a framework for positive change, like our guest Darcy Luoma's Thoughtfully Fit®.

Through her years of experience, Darcy has learned that if you want strong relationships, effective teams, more internal peace, and greater success you need to work from the inside out. She calls this being Thoughtfully Fit and just like physical fitness, you need to work at it. Being Thoughtfully Fit can help you lead yourself, as well as your relationships with others, by improving your ability to communicate, and effectively handle conflict by acting mindfully and intentionally. It's a great model for developing the kind of conscious masculinity we always talk about on the show, and for becoming the man you want to be in 2018 and beyond.

Also, if you've ever wondered about the difference between a therapist and life coach, Darcy and Dan offer an explanation and some tips on how to decide whether you need therapy or coaching. (Or both!)

Hurray for the holidays, a time of joy and wonder! You wonder why you put yourself through this shit every year and feel joy when it's finally over. BAH HUMBUG. Okay--so maybe it's not that cut and dried. What most of us feel during the holidays could most likely be described as ambivalence. There is, of course, the stress, and anxiety, and resentment and grief, but there is also the awe and the laughter and feeling of connectedness and purpose that many of us get from gift-giving, meal-preparing, and spending time with family. In this episode of The Man Rules podcast, The Deep Dive guys talk about their personal holiday trials and triumphs and share advice on how to use this time of year to recharge and connect with what matters most. For more about this episode: http://www.dangriffin.com/man-rules-podcast-2/

"Things can be true on one level, and on another, not true at all. Wisdom is to know how to hear and see on different levels at the same time." - Richard Rohr

Let's think about the typical life cycle of a public sexual misconduct allegation. The conversation that surrounds each accusation tends to center around what's right and what's wrong. We want--no, we need--clear answers. Was it a harmless joke? Or, was it a clear violation of sexual boundaries? Is it right to fire him over that? Is it wrong to suspect the victim may be exaggerating? Is going to "sex addiction treatment" just a way for the perpetrator to try to shirk responsibility for his actions? What if the perpetrator isn't a man? What if the victim isn't a woman?

Dr. Alexandra Katehakis returns to the show to help Dan finally and definitively answer all of these questions--JUST KIDDING! There, of course, are no definitive answers to these questions. That's one of the many things that makes this gender-based cultural upheaval extremely confusing and sometimes painful. While at the extreme ends of the sexual misconduct spectrum, we can clearly label some people as criminals and others as victims, there's a lot of room in between for varying degrees of nuance.

Though Alex and Dan don't provide us with all the answers, they do make a convincing case for embracing the chaos in a way that forces us to be more honest with ourselves and with each other, and for seizing the opportunity to have these conversations in our homes, workplaces, churches, and schools, so that we can build a better future based on true gender equality.

Roy Moore. Harvey Weinstein. Bill Cosby. These are "bad guys," right? They represent the extreme end of the sexual misconduct spectrum. Most men can easily say they don't identify with any of these guys. They have never done the things these men have done and never would do the things these men have done. There are bad guys, and there are good guys, and they are good guys. They are not sexist. They have mothers! Sisters! Daughters! They would never mistreat women, or speak about them in a demeaning way—End of story. Open and shut case.

But... We all live in The Water. And if we really want things to change for the better for both women and men, we have to take a closer look. In this bonus episode, Dan talks about what sexism really looks like in our day-to-day lives, and explains why men need to reckon with their privilege without getting bogged down in feelings of shame and disempowerment.

Cheryl Sharp is an expert on trauma and resilience and lifelong sailor. So, she knows a thing or two about dealing with rough waters, literally and figuratively. In this episode, she and Dan talk about the stunning cultural tsunami of the #MeToo movement and how it seems to be leveling and rearranging the ways in which men and women are expected to interact with one another. "The Water"--which Dan explains in the very first episode of this podcast--can destroy us, but it can also wash us clean.

If you're a man who's hesitant to listen to this one because you're afraid you'll hear only more arguments about how men are to blame, take heart. Cheryl has a great deal of empathy for men and the pain in them that often leads to inappropriate behavior. This doesn't mean that she excuses the behavior--not at all. But, she does believe that the way forward is creating spaces where both women and men can speak openly and honestly about their feelings and their struggles.