Author: Gary Barker

Gary Barker, Ph.D., is CEO and founder of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, a U.S.-based organization that works globally and in the U.S. to carry out research, advocacy and program implementation to promote healthy manhood. He was recently named one of 12 individuals advising Melinda French Gates on her global giving for women's and girls' well-being.

If You’re Alone on the Prairie, Would You Rather Meet a Man or a Wolf?

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It would be easy to be cynical about a remake of Little House on the Prairie (Netflix). At a moment when “tradwife” nostalgia and gender politics dominate so much of our cultural conversation, the series arrives as an unexpected relief—and maybe just what we need today.

The series presents a vision of manhood built around care rather than conquest: thoughtful men, flawed men, men for whom fatherhood is the center of their lives. They aren’t heroes, exactly—just plain, decent men trying to find their footing in a country freshly out of a war that ended slavery, even as it stepped into a new era of oppressing the people who were already here. The show never lets you forget that history. It’s always present, but it’s carried by characters wrestling with the same universal struggles we all recognize.

The women and girls matter just as much. They’re fierce and determined, never reduced to helpless victims—and it’s largely through how the men in the show treat them that we get the show’s gentlest lessons on how men and women can meet each other halfway.

Childcare Won’t Be Fixed Until Moms and Dads Join Forces

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The Trump administration would have you believe they’ll try anything to have more babies. Their proposed list of incentives include medals for mothers who have more than six children, classes to educate women about their menstrual cycles and special seats reserved in the Fulbright program for applicants with children. Anything, that is, except the glaringly obvious solutions: affordable, accessible childcare and paid parental leave.

If we want to secure policies that will benefit all parents, then we need to come together, breaking down the silos between those advocating for men and those advocating for women. After all, we want the same things: affordable childcare, paid leave and a living wage for all families.

‘Adolescence’ Is a Cautionary Tale of the Male Rage and Isolation Fueled by the Manosphere

Adolescence is a powerful cautionary tale about the destructive forces of the manosphere and the isolation many young boys face today. Through the lens of Jamie’s tragic journey, the show illuminates the profound impact of online misogyny, social media and a culture that discourages vulnerability in young men. As both a fictional story and a reflection of the real lives I’ve encountered, it serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for adults—teachers, parents and communities—to guide boys through the confusion of adolescence and protect them from harmful online influences.

If we fail to act, the tragedy we see in Adolescence may become a reality for more young men.

‘That’s My Dad!’: Helping Men Find Purpose in an Angry World

Young men in the U.S. are in an existential crisis, and from even the most casual browsing of their online spaces, their anger and loneliness are obvious. For these male biological challenges, we need empathy and understanding. For the social constructions of masculinity, the way we raise boys and socialize men, we need a bold, new social project. As grandiose as it may sound, men are seeking purpose. 

(This essay is part of a Women & Democracy multimedia package focused on Gen Z and student voters. The future envisioned by young leaders is bright—it’s built on reproductive rights, bodily autonomy, sustainability, freedom from violence and economic opportunity. Explore essays, a brand-new podcast, videos and more from some of your most loved [or soon to be!] influencers and writers, brought to you by Ms., DoSomething, the nonprofit that helps make volunteerism “cool,” and The Anthem Awards, the social impact arm of The Webbys.)

Achieving Gender Equity Depends on Boys, And How We Raise Them

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When boys and men can see the necessary roles they play in standing up for equality, they will be engaged contributors in creating a world where all people are free to pursue their full potential. 

Indeed, when we ask young boys about their definition of what it means to be a man, the responses are nearly always positive—caring, respectful, stands up for others. This tells us that our work to engage boys in society’s collective goal of healthy manhood is in large part about helping boys be the authentic, connected humans they want to be.