On Thursday, 12 March Dr Kris Taylor will be presenting 'Talking Masculinities: Why toxic masculinity is a concern, how it can impact your child/teen, and what you can do about it.'

Over the last few years, a wave of grown men has built big online businesses 'coaching' boys and young men, from ‘dating and fitness’ to ‘money and status’. The hook is familiar: amplify insecurity, then sell the fix (such as ‘courses', ‘supplements' and 'rules for life').

Not every teen is watching this content, but the messages leak into everyone’s world, and that’s the point. A ‘neo-traditionalist’ (someone who deliberately revives, adapts, or reinterprets traditional practices, cultures, or beliefs to fit modern contexts) takes on gender roles, (e.g. 'trad' relationships, 'alpha/beta' status, body ideals, sexual expectations), all shaping what feels normal in school corridors, group chats, and dating culture. The research is clear: girls, young women, and even female teachers are increasingly on the receiving end of sexist remarks, harassment, and pressure that echoes what’s being modelled online.

That’s why this session is for all parents - especially those parenting girls. These ideologies shape the culture your daughters have to navigate dating expectations, coercion, body image, peer pressure, and consent.

Psychology researcher and student counsellor Dr Kris Taylor will give a calm, practical crash course to help caregivers/parents understand what’s showing up online, and the tools to respond in a way that keeps conversations open, safe and steady, to avoid the family dinner spiralling into a show-down.

You’ll walk away with:

• A clear map of the online ‘worldview’ our teens are swimming in
• How “masculinity influencer” messaging persuades (often subtly)
• Practical ways to talk about sexism, porn, harassment, and gender norms
• Shared language plus tried-and-tested strategies for respectful conversations

Join us:

• Thursday 12 March | 6:30–8:30pm
• Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College, Wānaka
• Tickets to hear Kris Taylor speak are available here