In The Media

eric-barthold-bold-talk

This Idea Could Prevent Campus Rape, and Maybe Stop Mass Shootings Too

Huffington Post – February 22, 2016
Eric Barthold started a program called Man Up and Open Up with a group of athletes he went to college with, after taking gender studies classes. His programming has a core exercise drawn from Katz’ work, called “the man box” — where people write words inside a box they consider to be attributes of a strong man, and outside place words that are associated with a non-masculine male. » Read more


Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events Examine Progress, Remaining Work To Be Done

Colby News – January 19, 2016
A Martin Luther King Jr. Day community luncheon in Foss dining hall Monday, including remarks by President David A. Greene and a panel discussion with alumni in careers dedicated to inclusion and social justice, continued Colby’s ongoing reflections on how to strengthen a culture firmly rooted in equity, justice, and access…
The main program was a panel discussion featuring Jocelyn Wooten Giangrande ’88, whose career has included empowering women, challenging gender inequities, and advocating diversity in corporate organizations; Eric Barthold ’12, who conducts “Man Up and Open Up” workshops to prevent sexual violence and contextualize gender roles, particularly with male high school and college students (he’s also assistant Alpine skiing coach at Colby); and Jessica Boyle ’12, an advocate for first-generation students and a crusader for better access to college for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. » Read more


Engaging Men and Male Athletes in Sexual Violence Prevention

inbound.com – October 15, 2015
Last week we ran Gretta Gardner’s heartbreaking Bold Talk Stop Domestic Violence – The Ultimate Sales Pitch in a special post promoting Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We wanted to highlight another important take on the problem of intimate partner violence, this time with a Bold Talk given by Eric Barthold. Eric is traveling to high school and college campuses to enlist male athletes in the fight against sexual violence, and in doing so, to help free and celebrate a more complete understanding of what masculinity is and what it is not. » Read more


Why This Anti-Rape Workshop-Running College Bro Says Empathy Is The Most Important Idea Of 2015

collectively.org – May 1, 2015
After a year of so many stories of sexual violence, we were eager to hear from a super inspiring twenty-something, Eric Barthold, who teaches men to investigate their own notions of masculinity and sexual violence through his organization MULES. Barthold is really a pioneer, using his education in gender studies to help people discover the often buried ideas and assumptions they hold about sexual behavior. He starts by asking guys, either high-schoolers or college students, “What does it take to be a ‘real man’”? Their answers prompt a discussion about societal norms and how they impact our attitudes and actions. » Read more


Eric Barthold Helps Boys ‘Man Up’ — Dissecting Gender Stereotypes

The Rainbow Times – March 11, 2015
As a junior at Colby College, Eric Barthold took an education class called “Boys to Men.” When a senior writing her thesis about sexual assaults on the Maine campus spoke to the class, Barthold felt uncomfortable. A soccer player and ski racer in high school, he realized that much of that discussion involved the role of male athletes. » Read more


6 Ways Better Sex Education for Men Can Help Fight Sexual Assault

Identities.Mic – February 25, 2015
The movement to combat sexual assault on college campuses is well underway, and there are plenty of courageous women fighting for much-needed justice. But national campaigns and thought leaders alike have noted that in order to truly achieve deep-seated change, men must engage with this movement as well. » Read more


Carrabassett Valley Academy and Men Against Violence

207 Maine – WCHS6 – December 18, 2014
Gender roles are in a state of flux. There is a renewed, widespread call for gender equality. And for many, that changes will come with a younger generation. » Read more


Meet the Guys Tackling Sexual Assault on Campus

NationSwell – December 14, 2014
While most twenty-something males are concerned with the athletics, girls and grades, Eric Barthold has something else on his mind: stopping sexual violence on college campuses. » Read more


Meet The Bros Running Anti-Rape Workshops On Campus

collectively.org – April 12, 2014
It was in a class called “Boys to Men” where Eric Barthold, then an undergraduate at Colby College in Maine, became aware that there was an epidemic of masculine anxiety and male privilege on his campus. A student presented her thesis research on sexual assault at Colby to the entire class; Eric and many of his classmates were horrified. And he knew he had to do something about the problem—or else he was just part of it. » Read more


An Incident and Its Aftermath

Inside Higher Ed – February 15, 2012
At Colby College recently, 15 students have withdrawn or been suspended for sexual misconduct and related charges – and an entire campus is struggling to understand an incident that took place in November. The college won’t say exactly what occurred, but has told students that the investigation is complete, and that local police determined no criminal acts took place. » Read more