Praise for the Undoing Patriarchy course

“Taking Bear's course on undoing patriarchy was like taking the blinders off and opening my eyes. Bear is thoughtful, kind and wise and they are committed to liberation for all. I would highly recommend this course.” -Stu, Los Angeles

“Without exaggeration, I think about this course, my peers, what we shared, and what I learned in very specific and tangible ways, every single day.” —Albert Ramirez, Maryland

“[This course] made so many things which seemed abstract feel very immediate and practical. [My biggest insights were] just how pervasive it all is. How shallow my ACTUAL commitment to changing things is. How much toxic masculinity rests on self interest and comfort. How the work moving forward needs to involve a lot of self-resourcing to equip myself against a tendency to avoid. I foresee this course echoing for my whole life.” -Jonah Quinn, aspiring therapist, New Orleans

Having worked with Bear in the past, I knew that this course would be carefully constructed and thoughtfully taught. Still, I was left in awe with the ease that they led the group through the ins and outs of Undoing Patriarchy in an easy to understand way. Clear and relatable ideas were used to help the group connect with the material, with lots group discussion to pull out the ideas and concepts. In eight weeks, I feel like I learned more than I have on my own in the past eight years, and would highly recommend it to anyone! -Evan Williams, Woodworker, Portland, OR

“All of my supposed intellectual understanding of patriarchy’s influence was shown clearly lacking in how hard the personal investigation aspects of the course were for me.  "Knowing" a thing to be real and truly getting the way I am limited in my emotional skills was eye opening. Actually examining the emotional work I need to do to has helped create a greater awareness and hopefully a sharper focus on the ways I enact patriarchy in my life and relationships. I am still in the early process of seeing these things before they occur, and hoping to catch it more often before others have to.”  -m. heil, New Orleans

“I have felt bound by my own toxic masculinity and overwhelmed by how much books, my peers, and twitter say that I need to change. I understood the concepts that inform toxic masculinity but previously struggled with modifying my behavior.

Now I have some new and much-needed tools to practically and deliberately begin changing the way that I relate to others. I think about something that we worked on in this class almost every day. The conversations, community and specific exercises that Bear facilitated in this course have helped me begin to better heal myself and grow into the more whole person that I want to be.” —Jack Largess, New Orleans

This course has been truly revelatory. It has helped me to recognize the often hidden but nearly always present patterns of patriarchy. I've seen my personal reflections of the system of patriarchy played out in real time and have been given tools and opportunities to actively look at the ways that it manifests in me and the world and to make needed change in my life. This realization, though uncomfortable, has given me the confidence to change. -Anonymous participant

“I loved how much of the course was focused on our personal / interpersonal practices. That stuff was the most impactful, thought-provoking, and difficult parts of the course! Many concepts are easier said than done. Not just that dismantling systemic patriarchy takes more effort than theory... but that even if I recognize my own needs/boundaries/feelings, it can very difficult to voice/share/honor them. Being vulnerable is hard as f*ck!!

Overall I loved the course! Bear organized it so thoughtfully and intelligently -- it really helped me connect the dots on concepts of societal norms, personal emotions, boundaries, expectations, consent, and needs. All it was all done very non-judgmentally, with just as much focus on personal growth as there was on intellectual learning. The work starts from home!” -Bob Weisz, videographer, New Orleans

“[My biggest insight was] how much work I have to do;  how easy it has been to let myself not do that work; how much I want to deepen the relationships with the men in my life.” -Anonymous participant

"There are concrete ways in which being in the Undoing Patriarchy course and community has changed my perspective permanently. Behaviors can always slip, we can mess up, we can discontinue our efforts. Being in this setting reminds us that we can and should strive always to return to the work. Bear offers work that would not have occurred to me alone, broadened my toolkit and thus made returning to the work less daunting." —JR Hankins, New Orleans

“I can't even begin to say how impactful this course has been on my development and work: from augmenting my personal mindfulness to improving the relationships I have with myself and others. In the matter of a few weeks, I can say with confidence that Undoing Patriarchy has changed my life and the way I think about the world.” —Alec, law student, Washington, DC

“Bear held a compassionate and courageous space for the group to understand the ways patriarchy negatively impacts our lives and the lives of the people we care about; to learn new ways of being in the world that actively undermine patriarchal values; and to build a sense of community and support as we continue this journey outside of class. On a daily basis, I use the insights and practices I gained from Undoing Patriarchy to reverse the imprint of patriarchy in myself, to show up better for the women+ folks in my life, to disempower patriarchal systems and instead contribute to equitable communities.” —Tim Young, St. Louis, MO

“Bravo to Bear for having the guts to explore this deep-rooted topic of humankind. Bear provides a safe space where one can breathe and seek a way of looking at the world few offer. This is an excellent starting point if one hungers for a deeper connection with men and humanity. Thank you, Bear, from the bottom of my heart.” —Mark Cassle, personal coach, Cathedral City, California

“Undoing Patriarchy was an empowerment that I didn't know I needed but felt somewhere inside me. Because of this class I am now more able to lean in to that unknowing to learn about myself. This class asks of the students to engage in community in order to discover how else their peers are impacted by patriarchy and facilitates concrete actions towards undoing patriarchy within themselves together.” —Tyler, carpenter, Cambridge, NY

“Undoing Patriarchy is a much needed training for men+ who desire to change the current state of the world and political climate. If we as men+ could even simply begin to be more comfortable talking about our needs and feelings in a healthy way, then we could put an end to toxic masculinity and the dominating behavior that is ruining our own lives, relationships, society, and the planet.” —Chris, Oakland, CA

“Patriarchy is a cultural poison. Recovering from its effects is a big task that requires a multitude of small actions. If you are ready to commit to doing this essential, imperative work, then consider Undoing Patriarchy as the course to start with. While the material is heavy, Bear approaches it with a healing mentality that makes it easier to hold. Even better are Bear's skill at cultivating community. The lessons are a powerful building block for understanding how patriarchy impacts our relationship to others and the world.” —Brandon Rich, writer, Victor, ID