Early praise from notable scholars, activists, and educators.
Edwards offers research, insights, and stories to help men across identities break free from external expectations. Unmasking is a helpful guide for men and activists and educators working to engage men.
Grounded in theory and built upon decades of inquiry, interviews, and personal experiences, Unmasking gives me critical hope for men’s learning, unlearning, and becoming. Keith’s voice, vulnerability, and vision can help us create a better and more equitable future for us all.
-Heather D. Shea, PhD, Director of Women and Gender Equity at Michigan State University
Unmasking explores how slowly but surely individuals have the opportunity to come to know and unveil an authentic masculinity, embodying a full spectrum of the human experience. This powerful book shares stories and gives permission for everyone to create the conditions to welcome authentic masculinity, remove the mask, and walk into freedom.
Unmasking is a treasure trove of user-friendly analysis and actionable insights. In this beautifully written book, Keith Edwards seamlessly integrates ideas about men’s subjective emotional and psychological processes with sociological observations about power and privilege. The result is a tremendous resource for anyone who wants to help men expand their sense of what it means to be a man.
Based on years of personal reflection, interviewing and working with men, and deep listening, Keith Edwards’ Unmasking provides the understanding and practical tools for men to take off the mask of masculinity, develop authentic and loving relationships and engage in our collective struggle for healing and justice. Timely, readable, useful, hopeful–strongly recommended for men and those who love them.
– Paul Kivel, social justice educator, activist, and author of Men’s Work and Uprooting Racism.
This is an inspiring and compassionate invitation to men to build lives of authenticity and integrity. Combining everyday stories from men and evidence-based insight, Unmasking is an invaluable and practical toolkit to help us become better men.
-Professor Michael Flood, author of Engaging Men and Boys in Violence Prevention
Powerful resource to support men to break out of the prison of hypermasculinity and reclaim their authentic selves, their humanity. We need men in the work of racial and social justice to be true partners and co-conspirators as we dismantle oppression and create true liberation for all.
Through sharing his research and modelling the potency of vulnerability, Keith generously invites us to both recognize the masks we wear every day and give each other the permission to take them off so we can journey together towards our full selves.
-Jeff Perera, educator at Higher Unlearning
Authentic Masculinity is the new go-to phrase of our times. Instead of those toxic tropes we’ve been living with, Unmasking offers more powerful and lasting ideals that give men permission to be who they are. Keith Edwards deftly explores the power of empathy, emotional range, ethical strength, and authenticity—just the tools we need for living with personal and political integrity.
-Shira Tarrant, PhD, author of Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex, and Power
Keith invites us to explore with him the complex and intersectional landscape of men and masculinities. Modeling the kind of reflexivity necessary to more fully illuminate the personal and institutional, he takes us on a journey into his life, the lives of the courageous men who participated in his research, and ultimately into reimagining our own humanity.
This book will help liberate us and those who care about us from these restrictions and help foster the authenticity that will enable us to be better humans and the world a better place.
-Alan Berkowitz, PhD, Scholar and Researcher
An accessible and informative text to help you better understand men, masculinity, and the issues men face in being their authentic selves.
-Keenan Colquitt, Jr. PhD, National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan
Those of us with marginalized identities have been objectified our whole lives and that doesn’t mean it is any easier for gay men, men of color, etc., and the only survival tool we all have is our own sense of self. Edward’s work is the bridge between our public portrayal and our innermost truths.
-Jessica Pettitt, Diversity and Leadership Author, Speaker, and Educator
In this clear-headed and warm-hearted book Edwards offers a research-based understanding of how boys and men are harmed by these cultural demands and offers dozens of practical next steps to move us towards a healthier version of masculinity.
I’ve followed Edwards research for years and Unmasking brings a balance of academic discipline and human storytelling that drives home why men need to let go of their masks. I’m thrilled to see it come to life and create a blueprint for so many young men to liberate themselves from the negative messages in our culture.
-Brian Anderson, author of Fathering Together
The stories and guidance offered in this engaging text provide actionable waypoints toward authenticity, humanity, and liberatory relationships with oneself and others.
-Jason Laker, PhD, professor and author of Canadian Perspectives on Men & Masculinities
Edwards achieves a beautiful balance of personal stories, empirical data, and pop culture references throughout the chapters. I recommend this to anyone who identifies as a man or works with boys/men in their daily lives.
-Mark Carbonara, EdD, Men’s Development Consultant
Early praise from beta readers.
Combining the personal with his research into the ‘masks’ that our culture foists on men, Keith delves into the harm these masks do to men, relationships, and society as a whole.
-Carol Edwards, career librarian, book reviewer, and book award selector, as well as Keith’s mom
Dr. Edwards paves the way for true understanding of the experiences of men and masculinities in today’s world.
-Robbie Williford, Student Affairs Professional
Unmasking focuses on one of those topics that we’d all rather avoid because it seems too unwieldy to tackle. Edwards doesn’t let us look away and leads us in the discussion in a forthright and engaging way.
This book is a brave and accessible resource for anyone looking to do the work of creating a world safe enough for everyone to discard the masks we wear.
-Neil Golemo, Director of Campus Living and Learning, Texas A&M – Galveston
Unmasking is a mix of theory, personal accounts, and data from, and about men, who are working to discover what it means to be a ‘man’.
While men are at the heart of Unmasking, Edwards demonstrates how people of all genders share responsibility in creating and maintaining those unhealthy limitations and how we can all be part of the solution and better ourselves along the way.
–Myriam Bishop
I do not have a son, but I do have a daughter. I’m willing to bet that the world will be a better place for everyone, thanks to the insights sought and shared through Unmasking.
-Mariana Tupper
Unmasking provides hope that systemic change is both possible and worth it to all of us to understand and address harmful cultural and social norms.
Through masterful storytelling and extensive research, Keith shows that when given the chance, real masculinity is demonstrated with authenticity, courage, and vulnerability. Unmasking proves that it’s time to let go of outdated social expectations of machoism.
