DALLAS GOLDTOOTH on Responding to Toxic Masculinity /99

Photo courtesy of Vatican Museums

As we enter into the twelfth month of the year and reflect on the tumultuous period that was 2018, For The Wild is dedicating December’s podcast episodes to healing community. This week, guest Dallas Goldtooth joins Ayana in a conversation around toxic masculinity, accountability, and dismantling patriarchy as a decolonial approach. So often, conversations around gender wounds quickly deteriorate into oversimplifications of, and accusations towards, one gender or another – failing to realize how we are all hurting under patriarchy. We must honor masculinity and femininity in harmony and give space to recognize our relatives who do not fit within, or feel represented by, today’s gender binary system.

Toxic masculinity, settler colonialism, and white supremacy are impelling us to a point of no return. If you are coming to this conversation as an environmental advocate, understand that in order to shift our relationship from that of domination over “nature” to one of reciprocity and understanding of the ecosystem we are apart of, we must examine our values with one another. What are we trying to build? What parts of ourselves must we heal to get there? How can we hold Men accountable in transformative ways? How can we envision, or for some, remember, healthy and sacred masculinity?

Dallas Goldtooth via IEN

“Dallas Goldtooth is the Keep it in the Ground Campaign Organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network. He is also the co-founder of the Indigenous comedy group The 1491s. Dallas is Dakota and Dine, a loving husband, dedicated father, comedian, public speaker, recovering exotic dancer, plastic shaman extraordinaire, and body double for that guy who plays Thor in them Thor Movies.”

♫ Music is "All Nations Rise" by Lyla June.

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