Early in 2019 Ørjan Burøe had an Instagram video go viral. It showed him and his young son wearing dresses and dancing to the song Let it Go from Disney’s Frozen. The response online was mostly positive, but a handful of louder voices argued that the video was proof that traditional masculinity is under attack. This week on Man Up, Burøe talks to Aymann Ismail about how unexpected it was for the video to blow up and what the reaction says about our on-going struggle with gender norms. Then, Aymann confronts some of his own hangups. 
What makes you a work in progress? Do you want to talk through something you can’t quite crack related to manhood or masculinity? Let us know, and we might help you work through it on the show. Give us a call at 805-626-8707 or email us at manup@slate.com
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Why a Dad Dancing to Frozen is Still a Big Deal

On Man Up, host Aymann Ismail invites men and women to tell embarrassing, funny, and sometimes disturbing stories about their lives as they try to figure out what they still have to learn—and unlearn—about being a man. They’ll talk relationships, family, sex, and identity, trying to understand their experiences to help listeners make more sense of their own.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Sexuality

Health

Relationships

Health & Fitness

For the final episode, Aymann convenes four friends to talk about the hashtag #MenAreTrash and to debate whether it’s possible to critique manhood and masculinity without bashing men as a group. Then, Aymann’s colleagues ask him questions to figure out how much he’s changed since the show began almost a year ago, and Aymann shares the most common complaint he's heard from listeners. 
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The Angry Email I Get Over and Over

Aymann tries to make sense of new polling data that shows men aren’t taking the outbreak of COVID-19 as seriously as women. First he talks to David Vega, a medical student who contracted the virus in early March after attending multiple gatherings with friends and family. Now, David says he should’ve been much more cautious, and he urges other men to learn from his mistakes. Then Aymann talks to Dr. Michael Smith, an internal medicine doctor and chief medical editor of WebMD. He says men have always been lousy at health precautions and now is the time for them to realize the error of their ways. 
How has the coronavirus affected you, or a man in your life? What other stories should we tell about manhood in this crisis? Let us know, and we might help you work through it on the show. Give us a call at 805-626-8707 or email us at manup@slate.com
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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A COVID-19 Survivor Warns Other Men

This week, Aymann talks to Shuheng, a self-described extrovert who wishes he had more friends to talk to and commiserate with. Then Aymann hears from Slate podcast producer Ben Frisch, who talks about how he’s able to make the most of his alone time. And finally, a very socially active man named Dan explains how he’s been able to stay connected to friends all over the country and satisfy his need for close personal bonds. 
How has the coronavirus affected you, or a man in your life? What other stories should we tell about manhood in this crisis? Let us know, and we might help you work through it on the show. Give us a call at 805-626-8707 or email us at manup@slate.com
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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It's a Tough Time for Men Without Friends

As people continue to self-quarantine, single men are still out there trying to date and, in some cases, have sex. First Aymann talks to his coworker Katie Rayford, who was hit on by two men on the same day when she was stocking up on groceries. Then he checks in with Jeremy Cohn, a man who flirted with his neighbor via drone. Then Andrew Kahn joins the show to talk about men who are still trying to meet up through Grindr right now. And finally, Denver journalist Zack Newman talks about his experience going on FaceTime dates and explains why continuing to date is so important for him during these trying times. 
How has the coronavirus affected you, or a man in your life? What other stories should we tell about manhood in this crisis? Let us know, and we might help you work through it on the show. Give us a call at 805-626-8707 or email us at manup@slate.com
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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Single Guys Are Really Going for It Right Now

This week, Man Up host Aymann Ismail learns how the outbreak of COVID-19 is changing how men’s partners see them at home. What happens when a husband and wife have very different crisis modes? What do you do if your new boyfriend wants you to quarantine with him in Canada, and you don’t even live together? Aymann explores these questions, and many more, and tries to figure out how this crisis may change how we see each other in the future.  
How has the coronavirus affected you, or a man in your life? What other stories should we tell about manhood in this crisis? Let us know, and we might help you work through it on the show. Give us a call at 805-626-8707 or email us at manup@slate.com
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why a Dad Dancing to Frozen is Still a Big Deal

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