Ideas of what it means to be a man have evolved in recent years, and with bromances loosening the straitjacket of traditional masculinity, softer emotions are being celebrated. Emotional Hangs is a podcast from two US comedians that’s shedding light on modern male friendship. We explore the insights behind why people are keen to see men in the media celebrate their emotions.
Hosted by Kurt Braunohler and Joe DeRosa, Emotional Hangs is a podcast available through Feral Audio, iTunes and a web player. For an hour each week, the pair talk about their journey through adulthood – from pondering about the afterlife to discussing the intricacies of making friends. They explore and celebrate the emotions behind their bromance, all the while highlighting how softer emotions are an important part of modern masculinity.
The podcast sheds light on the intimacy of male friendships, and with research finding bromances to have a positive effect on society, as well as the individuals themselves, it’s an important conversation to focus on. “It’s fundamentally important for men and boys to have their friends, to have their pack,” says therapist Kenny Mammarella D'Cruz. “People forget that in the hunting and gathering days, it wasn’t just about going out with spears and grunting; they were also a collective consciousness. That’s very intimate, that’s very sensitive and it’s all about understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Emotional Hangs isn’t the only voice speaking up for positive perceptions of masculinity. LADBible is rebranding in a bid to celebrate the multi-faceted modern man, covering their emotional vulnerability and intimate side, while Axe is breaking down gender stereotypes in its 'Is It OK For Guys?’ campaign. Meanwhile, rappers like Drake are proving that rappers can write lyrics about more than ‘bitches and money’. A younger generation of men want to see their version of masculinity reflected back to them in the media, and Emotional Hangs and its contemporaries are delivering.
Hannah Elderfield is a psychology graduate from the University of Kent and a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research and a psychology. Outside of work she can be found shopping, walking her dog or attempting to curb her addiction to Nutella, not all at once of course.
