From AskMen senior editor and non-binary writer Alex Manley comes The New Masculinity: A Roadmap for a 21st-Century Definition of Manhood, a guide for escaping the shackles of toxic masculinity, unlearning what it means to be a man, and pushing back against the various ways masculinity teaches people to hurt rather than help, and to harm rather than heal. Manley charts a course for a wholly new future of the self that’s neither particularly manly nor particularly masculine, but responsive, invested, and caring.

Having written and edited for a men’s website for seven and a half years, Manley has seen up close how angry, scared, and lonely men are, and how entrenched in a culture war they feel. This book is a guide for unlearning the habits that perpetuate that harm. There are an infinite number of ways to be a person, but to access them fully, men first need to unlearn the restrictions of modern gender roles and the ways society has taught them to shave parts of themselves off until their masculinity comes before their humanity.

Alex Manley is a Montreal/Tiohtià:ke writer and editor whose work has been published by Maisonneuve magazine, Hazlitt, The Walrus Grain, Vallum, and the Literary Review of Canada, among others. Their debut poetry collection, We Are All Just Animals & Plants, was published by Metatron Press in 2016.

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• Short-listed, Quebec Writers’ Federation, Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction

“Earnest yet provocative, this wake-up call has much to offer.” — Publishers Weekly

“The New Masculinity is a hopeful, refreshing look at the post-feminist possibilities that lie ahead of us all, and it's a necessary how-to guide for men and boys everywhere.” — Maisonneuve

“At once astute and accessible” — Esquire

“It’s never too late to come of age in a new era with new expectations. At its heart, The New Masculinity is a wayfinding text from the Millennials to the Gen Z-ers who must forge a new path, gain a new vocabulary, and take the initiative to get comfortable with their vulnerability. In the essential work of expanding the definition of manhood, Manley is one guiding force.” — The Montreal Review of Books

“Much of his message is about becoming a better person – practicing civility, respect, love, and compassion for other human beings, rather than acting out the domination and hostility that are becoming the norm for some men in American society. The sections on avoiding stereotypical romantic roles are particularly illuminating.” — AudioFile Magazine

“This conversational, accessible, and astute nonfiction offering from AskMen senior editor Alex Manley balances candid memoir and social commentary to give readers an alternative to our standard—and tired—conversations around masculinity.” — All Lit Up Blog