Written by Jaiden Arada, Converge multimedia journalism intern and Senior at Cherokee Bluff High School
A podcast that is worth listening to is definitely the “Man Enough Podcast.” Hosted by Justin Baldoni, star of TV show Jane the Virgin and director of the movie “Clouds,” he breaks down what it means to be a man. He explains how certain societal norms around masculinity affect men and the world in various ways. Throughout episodes, Baldoni brings guests in to speak about the stigma around men being manly enough.
On the particular episode that I reviewed, Shawn Mendes was the guest and he weighed in on this topic. He resonated with Baldoni’s main topic of the show, not being “manly enough”, and shared how the expectations that a man cannot show emotion affects his performances and the way he acts.
Mendes then discusses how some people who are not fans of his will call him “gay” just because he displays feminine traits sometimes. He explains how the way someone acts does not determine their sexuality and says that it has taken a toll on him trying to explain himself over and over again. Baldoni dives into an even deeper explanation of how he has experienced this as well and how society can help fix this problem.
I highly recommend the “Man Enough Podcast” because it shines a light on men’s issues that are often forgotten and it was very educational overall.
