The Man Box: How Societal Norms Shape Men's Lives A Conversation with Dr. Gary Barker and Dr. Taveeshi Gupta

Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s podcast we welcome Dr. Gary Barker and Dr. Taveeshi Gupta of Equimundo. 

Dr. Gary Barker is the CEO and co-founder of Equimundo and a globally recognized leader in engaging men and boys to advance gender equality, with over 30 years of experience across more than 50 countries. 

Dr. Taveeshi Gupta is the Senior Director of Research at Equimundo and a global expert on masculinities and gender with over 15 years of experience leading research on structural inequalities and their impact on youth and development. 

The research at Equimundo was the origin of the evidence used by the Congressional Dads Caucus for proposed legislation.

Our conversation will center around Equimundo’s State of American Men 2025, a groundbreaking new study that offers an unflinching, data-driven look at the emotional, economic, and cultural pressures facing American men.

At a time when narratives around masculinity are increasingly divisive and distorted, their annual study cuts through the noise with a clear, compassionate message: Men are not in crisis because of who they are — they’re in crisis because of what they lack. 

Perhaps that is a driver behind their finding, an absolutely terrifying statistic that 57% of men, and 52% of women, believe that the US would be a better place with a strong leader in charge who doesn’t bother with elections. The stakes of what is occurring in our country right now couldn’t be any higher. 

Link to research: https://www.equimundo.org/resources/state-of-american-men-2025/ 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:49 How does the "deep sense of economic anxiety" experienced by men in the US relate to their support for authoritarian government and restrictive ideas about manhood?
• 10:01 In what ways is anxiety about financially securing their families' future linked to a lack of purpose, increased suicidal ideation, and feelings of being an inadequate caregiver among men?
• 14:18 Given that both men and women believe being a provider is a key trait of manhood, how does this expectation contribute to poor mental health in men, and what is the paradoxical link to a better sense of purpose in life?
• 22:10 How does the historical anchoring of male masculinity in the provider role intersect with increasing economic precarity, and what impact does this have on men's sense of self and self-esteem?
• 28:56 What percentage of men identify "providing for my family" as a top trait they should possess, and how does this compare to women's views on the same trait for men?
• 37:05 To what extent do men and women agree that it's harder for their generation to achieve financial security compared to their parents' generation, and how does this perception influence their outlook on careers and home ownership?
• 39:02 What is the correlation between men's agreement with the statement "I am not in the career I wanted when I graduated from school or college" and their likelihood of feeling that "Life is full of meaning and purpose"?
• 44:07 What specific financial or work-related changes have mothers and fathers made to meet their caregiving needs, and how equally do these sacrifices tend to fall between genders?