My son started at a new school a week or so ago. Other than his father, he is the bravest person I know, and I know he is going to be just fine. In time, he will be fine. In the meantime, there are wobbles here and there. I am doing my very best… Read More Black Boy Joy
Yesterday morning, I woke up after a blisteringly hot evening of tossing turning and negotiating shared bed space with my toddler. I went to the bathroom, sure that my son wouldn’t wake in the 5 minutes I’d be away for him. A few seconds in, I heard a small voice: “Mommy?” “I’m here, I’m just… Read More The Boys Are Not Alright
There’s a clip from an episode of Aziz Ansari’s Netflix show, Master of None, that I like to use when I’m teaching. It depicts his character at a party with friends and co-workers. A random guy approaches one of the party, a black woman, and tries to buy her drink. She politely declines. Afterwards, while she’s walking… Read More Master of Some
A few months ago, I found myself between a philosophical rock and hard place. The cause of my malaise? A stupid Father’s Day-themed diaper ad. The premise of the advert is pretty silly (and you’re welcome to view the offending ad in all its glory above), but the message it carries is that dads are… Read More Of Myths and Men: masculinity and the politics of the personal
They say a thin-skinned drum makes the loudest beat… Tumi Molekane, ‘Yvonne’ Many ages ago, a friend introduced me to South African hip-hop artist, Tumi Molekane. I loved him instantly. His flow is mesmerising and his lyrics are socially conscious and relevant à la Common or Talib Kweli. And although his accent is tinged with faux-American… Read More On thin-skinned drums
*Apologies and thanks to Gil Scott-Heron One of my favorite anecdotes from the iconic Tina Fey’s Bossypants concerns the equally iconic Amy Poehler. Poehler is in the Saturday Night Live writers’ room in the middle of a bit. Naturally (this is SNL after all), the bit is gross and graphic: Amy was in the middle of some… Read More The Revolution will not be Likeable*
Two weeks ago, I attended an engaging discussion on gender-based violence and what is involved in the work of stopping it. At this event, one of the panelists raised the issue of masculinity work as a crucial part of this. I was intrigued: whilst this is not my first time at the masculinity rodeo, per… Read More Steve Biko on Allies: Reflections on Masculinity Work
Rumbi Writes 
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