The Journey Within: Unpacking Toxic Masculinity, Patriarchy, & Male Privilege in Ministry

ABOUT:

In a society that is dominated by patriarchal systems, those of us who identify as male in ministry must begin an internal journey to unpack narratives of toxic masculinity, male centering, and privilege in order to change the patriarchal status quo.

The Journey Within is an online covenant group series for male ministers to enter into a brave space of transparency, covenant, and accountability. With a focus on modeling healthy masculinity and uprooting toxic masculinity, we will journey within the harmful effects patriarchy on people of all genders, gender stereotypes, male fragility, rape culture, cis-heteronormativity, the “Bro-Code”, reactive masculinity, “emasculation,” and more.  We will also explore how patriarchy is interwoven with other systems of oppression.  

This four session series will engage multiple forms of media as tools to assist ministers on their journey of unpacking toxic masculinity, patriarchy and male privilege in ourselves, our ministries, and our congregations. We will also be examining how other oppressive systems intersect with toxic masculinity and play out in our personal and professional lives.  By leaning into covenant with other, male identified ministers will work together to deepen their commitments to nurturing healthy masculinity, healing, and allyship.

SESSIONS:

Session One: Deconstructing Toxic Masculinity
What Is Toxic Masculinity? How does it show up in ourselves and our ministry contexts? How can we recognize it when we have been so trained to ignore and participate in it?

Session Two: Patriarchy vs. Men
What are the characteristics of the broader system of Patriarchy?  How do  “The Bro Code”  ad misogyny manifest among us as men, and within the contexts where we serve?

Session Three: Rape Culture & Male Fragility
A deep dive into how male fragility and toxic masculinity feed rape culture in ourselves and in our ministry settings.

Session Four: The Journey toward Healthy Masculinity, Healing, and Allyship
What commitments will we make to ourselves, to one another, and to the women & trans/non-binary people in our lives to heal the wounds and ongoing harm of patriarchy and toxic masculinity?  

SESSION DATES & ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS: 

We will offer groups on two different days of the weeks. The Monday group will meet from 11:00am-12:30pm CST on 11/19, 11/26, 12/3 and 12/10. The Tuesday group will meet from 1:00pm-2:30pm CST on 11/20, 11/27, 12/4 and 12/10. 

As with all small-group ministry, group dynamics are very dependent on all members being present; please commit to attending every session when you sign up.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

This group is open to all UU ministers and ministerial candidates who identify as men.

ABOUT MUUSJA & PASTOR DANNY GIVENS:

This online group is offered to a national audience by MUUSJA – The Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance. It will be facilitated by Pastor Danny Givens, MUUSJA’s Statewide Organizer.

Pastor Danny Givens is a cisgender, male-identified faith leader and survivor of childhood sexual trauma.  Four years ago, as part of the Black Lives Matter – Minneapolis organizing team, made up of largely queer/trans/nonbinary women and femmes, Danny commenced his own process of unlearning misogyny and queer/transphobia and undoing the harmful effects of toxic masculinity and patriarchy. He believes this work to undo the harm of toxic masculinity is essential because men must model healthy masculinity and healing in order to show up as true allies for people of all genders.