GoodGuy Michael Larson Creates #icommit Movement

How will you commit to promoting healthy masculinity?

On March 7th, GoodGuy Intern Michael Larson, a sophomore at Gonzaga University, unveiled his documentary, #icommit focused on promoting healthy masculinity. He shared his work with the public online and at Gonzaga and making individual commitments to promote healthy masculinity in their daily lives. The documentary featured Spokane community members, students, professors, and even Dr. Jackson Katz! See his documentary below:

In addition to his premiere, Michael and his team hosted a panel discussion on the subject with professors, university staff, community members, and students alike to discover the many ways individuals can lift men up from toxic masculinity.

Beginning the Movement

In spring 2018, Michael was chosen to attend a conference on white privilege. While he was there, he heard the phrase “toxic masculinity” all over the speeches and panels he listened to. Listening to the speakers, Michael realized what he had been noticing at college had a name; that the destructive behaviors often praised on college campuses can be named, understood, and prevented.

Michael thought back to his upbringing, especially his high school years with his best male friends. His group of friends would often hang out, play video games, share meals, and be in kinship with one another. One day, when a friend brought up his struggles with pornography, the group of friends welcomed him with open arms, admitted their struggles with porn too, and decided they would engage in deep, courageous conversations once every two weeks called “bro talk.” This ignited Michael’s passion for male vulnerability and safe spaces to have brave discussions. As a high school student, Michael realized what many do not understand well into adulthood: that repressing male’s emotions leads to males violence.

“Those emotions explode if men can’t express emotions. In the last 30 years, 96 mass shootings, only 2 committed by women. 86% of perpetrators are men. This is what happens when men can’t be vulnerable. I want people to join the conversation. Use the hashtag to talk about how individuals are challenging the narratives and continuing these conversations in their own communities. Those conversations that happen, that aren’t hosted by a university or organization; those individualized conversations have a great chance to make a difference.”- Michael Larson

The #icommit Movement

The event jumpstarted the movement to encourage individuals to pledge over social media. Since the premiere of the documentary and social media movement, Michael and his team have invited each Jesuit university in the United States to host an event, share the movement with students, share the documentary and hashtag online, and to make the #icommit movement their own. Furthermore, the group hopes to institutionalize the movement at Gonzaga through clubs and classroom curriculum.

We are so thankful to our GoodGuy for taking the mission of the GoodGuys to his own community!

Follow #icommit on Фейсбук, YouTube, or Твиттер today. For any questions, contact the #icommit team over Электронная почта или Facebook Messenger.

Join The Хорошие парни And Take A Stand Against Domestic Violence

Co-founders and long-time YWCA supporters, Doug Kelley of Avista and Manny Hochheimer of Numerica Credit Union, joined together with YWCA to create a collaborative effort of support called the Хорошие парни.

If you would like to learn more about the GoodGuys movement or become a GoodGuy, contact:
Manny Hochheimer at 509-462-6294  mhochheimer@numericacu.com
Doug Kelley at 509-495-4925  doug.kelley@avistacorp.com,
Dana Morris Lee at 509-789-9304 danam@ywcaspokane.org

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