Episode 53

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Published on:

16th Apr 2025

On ‘Adolescence’, and Every Man’s Role in Ending Violence Against Women - Jackson Katz

Discussions about masculinity and violence against women have exploded into the spotlight, not least because of the widely-watched Netflix drama ‘Adolescence’. More and more men are asking: Why is ending this violence an issue for me? What can I do to be part of the solution? How can I overcome the barriers holding me back from taking action, such as feelings of defensiveness? These are some of the pressing questions leading anti-violence educator and scholar-activist Dr Jackson Katz addresses in his timely new book, 'Every Man: Why Violence Against Women is a Men’s Issue, and How You Can Make a Difference'.

In this episode, Jackson sets out the case for men’s involvement, and essential tools to help us contribute to preventing violence against women: from how to respond when a friend or colleague expresses misogynistic views, to changing the culture among our peers, to developing positive leadership among men on this issue. 

We also discuss ‘Adolescence’ and its impact on, and implications for, parents, teachers, police officers and other key figures and institutions in young men’s (and women’s) lives. 

We conclude by revisiting the political situation in the US, and how men are responding to the backward-looking narratives coming from figures like President Trump and Vice-President JD Vance about what ‘real men’ should be like. 

Jackson is an American educator, speaker and writer internationally renowned for his groundbreaking work on issues of gender, race, and violence. His TEDx Talk 'Violence against women - it's a men's issue' has been watched 5.5 million+ times. He co-founded the pioneering gender violence prevention programme, Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), which was the first large-scale prevention initiative in sports culture and all branches of the US military, and has been rolled out in schools across the US and parts of the UK. 

Jackson’s book ‘Every Man’ is now available in the UK through Penguin, and will be published in the US by Bloomsbury in Sept 2025: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/every-man-9780241672662

Episode timeline:

  • Introduction
  • Jackson’s views on ‘Adolescence’ and its impact (02:26-06:53)
  • Showing the series in schools (06:53-10:11)
  • Why Jackson wrote ‘Every Man’, and the difficulties of getting a book on this topic published (10:11-14:52)
  • Why men might respond defensively, and how to move past that (14:52-20:52)
  • The positive impacts of feminism on Jackson’s own life (20:52-27:29)
  • Break
  • The bystander approach and what it looks in practice (27:36-35:26)
  • Its use in settings such as the military, and a different kind of leadership (35:26-43:52)
  • Masculinity in the Trump 2.0 presidency, and signs of resistance (43:52-53:47)
  • Why men need to face our fears of being ‘unmanned’ (53:47-56:54)
  • Conclusion [The lessons of ‘Adolescence’; The responsibility we all have; Addressing it in schools] (57:02-01:06:30)

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About the Podcast

Now and Men
Changing Masculinities, Challenging Norms
What role can men play in achieving gender equality?
Why is feminism good for men?
How are rigid ideas about masculinity holding back our lives—and how are people around the world challenging them?

These are the questions at the heart of Now and Men, a podcast hosted by social researchers Dr Stephen Burrell (Lecturer at the University of Melbourne, Australia) and Sandy Ruxton (Independent Researcher and Honorary Fellow at Durham University, UK).

We explore masculinity and change in the lives of men and boys today, diving into issues such as gender-based violence, fatherhood, men’s health, politics and the environment. Grounded in feminist thinking, our conversations connect big ideas to everyday experiences—showing how gender shapes all of us, and how men can be part of building a more equal world.

At a time when regressive versions of masculinity are resurging—amplified by political leaders, online influencers, even podcasters—we spotlight the people pushing back. Each episode features inspiring voices working to engage men and boys in positive, transformative ways and imagining feminist futures.

New episodes drop every month. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and join us in exploring what healthy, caring, equitable paths forward can look like for men. Questions or comments? We’d love to hear from you at nowandmen@gmail.com.

About your hosts

Stephen Burrell

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I am a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Melbourne. I'm originally from the UK, and moved to Australia at the beginning of 2024. My research is about men, masculinities, and violence. I am particularly interested in the prevention of men's violence - especially violence against women, and violence against the environment - and promoting care as an alternative. I'm a big fan of feminism, drinking tea, connecting with nature, eating vegan snacks, and listening to heavy metal.

Sandy Ruxton

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Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Durham University (UK). Independent researcher, expert on men and masculinities. Previous policy work on human rights, children and families, poverty and social exclusion, and asylum and migration. Programme experience with boys and young men in schools, community, and prisons. Steering Committee member, MenEngage Europe. Volunteer for OX4 Food Crew. Chess-player, bike-rider, tree-hugger. Great grandfather edited Boy's Own Paper, but was sacked.