The Full Catholic Masculinity Series
What does it mean to be a man in the Catholic Church today? Over the past few months, we’ve explored this question with care, critique, and hope. From tradbro aesthetics to queer saints, we’ve unpacked how masculinity is performed, weaponized, and reimagined in Catholic spaces. This is the complete list of our series on Catholic masculinity—read one or read them all, and join the conversation.
No Country for Kings
We begin by examining how Catholic influencers like Bishop Barron (in light of his comments about the State of the Union being a “liturgy of democracy”) stage masculinity as control, conquest, and charisma. Drawing connections to kingship theology and Christian nationalism, we unpack how the Church’s patriarchal ideals uphold power over vulnerability—and why it’s time to resist.We’re Giving up Toxic Masculinity for Lent
Lent calls us to conversion—but what if that includes how we understand gender? This reflection invites readers to fast from toxic masculinity itself, making space for empathy, softness, and shared humanity during a season of transformation.Player 2 has Entered the Chat
When Bishop Byrne of Springfield defended Barron’s “liturgy of democracy” comments, it revealed a deeper issue: Catholicism’s boys-club mentality. We connect his response to the political posturing of figures like JD Vance and Marco Rubio and call for more compassionate, inclusive leadership.Blessed are the Empaths, for they are the Greatest Sinners
In conservative Catholic/Christian spaces, empathy is often portrayed as weakness—or even called a “sin.” Here, we challenge that claim and reframe empathy as a strength central to both queer identity and authentic masculinity. Empathy doesn’t make men soft; it makes them whole.From Theotokos to Theobros
We trace how gender essentialism in Catholic theology—especially through John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Marian devotion and the “tradwife” movement—reinforces rigid, harmful ideals of masculinity. This piece reveals how binary theology fuels exclusion and distorts the richness of Catholic tradition.A Vision of Positive Masculinity
In our final piece, we offer a hopeful alternative: a masculinity rooted in humility, love, and justice. Drawing from Pope Francis, queer saints, and our own stories, we imagine what Catholic masculinity could be when it uplifts rather than dominates—when it heals instead of harms.
Bonus: Podcast Episode 🎧 Man Enough? Masculinity and the Catholic Script
On our podcast Whiplash with Maxwell Kuzma, we dive deeper into the ideas behind this series (and tell a bit of our own stories)—how masculinity gets coded into liturgy, politics, and church leadership, and what a more liberated path forward might look like. [Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Youtube.]
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