Justin Baldoni. You may know him as uber-sexy Rafael Solano from the CWs Jane the Virgin, I’d like to introduce you to another side of Justin Baldoni that I’ve come to love and appreciate. He runs a YouTube Channel called Wayfarer entertainment and they have a sublime series called Man Enough. In Dec 2017 Justin gave a TED Talk on why he was and is done being ‘man enough’ in which he addressed society’s theories surrounding masculinity and what it means to be a man. He describes his quest to redefine masculinity and to figure out ways to be not just a good man, but a good human. In this warm, personal talk, Justin shares his efforts to reconcile who he is with who the world tells him a man should be.
The We Are Man Enough series format is a group of men, friends, who spend some time having dinner and conversations that men wouldn’t ordinarily have because of our ‘men don’t do this and men don’t do that’ preconceptions. The objective is to present a group of men who trust each other, are willing to be vulnerable and are challenging themselves to be better men and better humans in general. It’s certainly worth the watch. Here’s an episode breakdown of the series so far.
Man Enough Episode 1: Why Men Don’t Talk
Justin Baldoni sits down to dinner with some friends to have an open discussion about traditional masculinity and why men don’t talk. Prince Ea, Derek Hough, Javier Munoz, Bassem Youssef and Matt McGorry offer up their unique perspectives and honest experiences on camera for the first time ever. Justin also consults Dr. Michael Kimmel, a trailblazing expert in the field of gender studies.
This episode set the tone for the show and lived up to my expectations. Let’s just say I immediately hit Subscribe.
Man Enough Episode 2: Let’s Get Vulnerable (Continuation)
Justin Baldoni and the guests continue their dinner conversation by discussing male vulnerability and how men are and how men are socialized against opening up. Prince Ea, Derek Hough, Javier Munoz, Bassem Youssef and Matt McGorry are present.
Man Enough 3: The Ugliness of Body Image
Justin Baldoni, Prince Ea, and Matt McGorry are joined by former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderon Silva and fitness model, Aydian Dowling to discuss body image standards in America and how they impact our sense of self. Then in his home gym, Justin talks to Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Harvard Medical School, in hopes of getting some insight into his own body image insecurities. Justin also visits with Dr. Marc Mani, a world-renowned Plastic Surgeon, to get his professional opinion on a part of Justin’s body that he’s always been insecure about, his nose.
This one was the most eye-opening for me. For some reason unknown to me it hadn’t occurred to me that men could struggle so deeply with their body image. The vulnerability and openness here was beyond anything I had even hoped to experience. Beautiful.
#MeToo – Men in Hollywood Share Their Real Feelings
Justin Baldoni, hosts Matt McGorry, Scooter Braun, Lewis House, Tony Porter and Jamey Heath in a groundbreaking conversation on the role of men in the #metoo movement. Justin also consults with renowned Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Susan Brison, to learn about the reality of sexual violence in America and steps men can take to empower and support survivors. In a special segment, three courageous female survivors come forward with harrowing stories of sexual assault and harassment that changed their lives.
This was the episode I’d waited for the most. I was checking their site every single day waiting for its release and finally, it happened and it was well worth the wait. I feel we’ve heard from the women concerning #metoo which is not to suggest it’s in any way enough, just that I hadn’t heard from men about what they thought. Plus the show ends with a heart-rending PSA on child safety that brought tears to my eyes.
Speaking of series Series Review: This Is Us – All The Feels
