#87 | Stop Shaming Boys: A Better Way to Talk About Masculinity w/ Chris Hemmings

<p>What happens when we stop shaming boys for the masks they wear—and start getting curious about why they learned to wear them in the first place?</p><p>In this episode of <em>unMASKing with Male Educators</em>, Ashanti sits down with psychotherapist, former BBC journalist, men’s mental health advocate, and founder of Men’s Therapy Hub and M-Path Chris Hemmings to explore masculinity, empathy, grief, vulnerability, and what boys need from the adults trying to reach them.</p><p>Chris shares how losing his father pushed him to confront his own relationship with masculinity and emotion—and how years of hiding his sensitive, empathic side shaped the man he became.</p><p>Together, they reflect on the masks boys and men wear, the pressure to appear strong, and why real change requires compassion rather than shame.</p><p>This conversation dives into:</p><ul><li><p>How losing his father changed Chris’s relationship with grief and masculinity</p></li><li><p>Why Chris spent years hiding the sensitive and empathic parts of himself</p></li><li><p>What happens when boys are repeatedly told to “stop being soft”</p></li><li><p>The difference between masculinity and rigid ideas of masculinity</p></li><li><p>Why boys need opportunities to reconnect with empathy</p></li><li><p>How social media influencers are filling emotional gaps for young men</p></li><li><p>Why harmful models of masculinity may be symptoms of a deeper problem</p></li><li><p>Why shaming and blaming boys rarely leads to meaningful change</p></li><li><p>How educators can “speak to what is happening in the room” without humiliating students</p></li><li><p>What one student taught Chris about the power of challenging boys without shaming them</p></li><li><p>Why vulnerability and confidence do not have to be opposites</p></li><li><p>The importance of being able to say, “I hadn’t thought of it that way”</p></li><li><p>Why adults working with boys must be willing to examine their own experiences first</p></li><li><p>How educators may impact young people without ever knowing it</p></li></ul><p>Why boys need adults who can see beyond the behavior and recognize the person underneath the maskThroughout the conversation, Ashanti and Chris explore how boys can question rigid ideas of masculinity without shame.</p><p>Chris reminds us that boys need curiosity, compassion, honesty, and emotional safety—not more judgment.</p><p>If you care about boys’ mental health, masculinity, vulnerability, or creating healthier spaces