The State of Men

Mike and Aydian unpack modern fatherhood, digging into their own experiences as fathers, the impact of how they were parented by their fathers, and how fatherhood has shifted in America over the last three generations. What impact do media portrayals of fatherhood have on learning to be a father? How do men learn to become fathers?

Top Take-Aways: 
  • How do the different roles men play in society impact each other? 
  • Does the experience of having divorced or non-cohabiting parents shape your perception of fatherhood?
  • How do we hold other men accountable as fathers?
  • What is valuable to you in fatherhood--time, money?
  • How do our perceived cultural link between masculinity and virility impact how we show up as fathers?

What is The State of Men?

The State of Men is hosted by two Elder Millennial work-from-home-Dads, Mike Watts (cis man) and Aydian Dowling (trans man).

A funny and real-life approach to being Men in the 2020s The State of Men is taking a deep dive into masculinity to talk about what we do, and why we do it.

We believe a better future for our world is in part the responsibility of the Men in it. We invite all men to do the work and fix their shit, so we can leave a legacy we are proud of.

Societally, men have been brainwashed into a narrow view of masculinity through which they can't see their full potential. Gender norms are changing, the glass ceiling is shattered, and home life has been reinvented. So what does it mean to be a man in this new world?

The State of Men is a funny, honest, real-world look at the stigmas that exist around men.

The truth is men want to fix their shit, but where do we even start.