Why is it that men, straight Black men, are so afraid of being seen as “soft?” Why is it that so many in this country have learned that the most damaging thing you can be is queer or trans and that to see that in another triggers a wound so deep that it results in violence?

In this episode meet Yolo Akili Robinson, who shares his story of manhood – and the experience of being in relationships that were mentally, sexually and physically abusive. Because despite being raised in a home that taught him how to be a man’s man – repressing his true authentic self – he was able to unlearn the culture of femininity seen as something wrong and overcome the homophobia and self-hatred that runs so deep within his community. Through his work, he’s been able to reach people far beyond his community, proving that the experiences of trauma can be binding across human beings, and that the healing journey can be somewhat universal as well.

Why is it that men, straight Black men, are so afraid of being seen as “soft?” Why is it that so many in this country have learned that the most damaging thing you can be is queer or trans and that to see that in another triggers a wound so deep that it results in violence?
In this episode meet Yolo Akili Robinson, who shares his story of manhood – and the experience of being in relationships that were mentally, sexually and physically abusive. Because despite being raised in a home that taught him how to be a man’s man – repressing his true authentic self – he was able to unlearn the culture of femininity seen as something wrong and overcome the homophobia and self-hatred that runs so deep within his community. Through his work, he’s been able to reach people far beyond his community, proving that the experiences of trauma can be binding across human beings, and that the healing journey can be somewhat universal as well.

We all have a longing to be seen for who we are - even if who we are is more complex and messy to the outside world. In The Deep: Stories that Shape Us, a new podcast from iHeartRadio, shares the first-hand account of Black and Latinx men as they peel back the layers of hardship in a world that doesn’t always see them, all of them, for who they really are. Join host Zach Stafford, as he explores the topics of discrimination, family and religion giving us a better understanding of the difficulties these men face, allowing us to see their entire truths - no matter how complicated they might be. These conversations with thought-leaders, athletes and authors prove that regardless of circumstance, there’s always hope and health on the other side.

In The Deep: Stories That Shape Us

We all have a longing to be seen for who we are - even if who we are is more complex and messy to the outside world. In The Deep: Stories that Shape Us, a podcast from iHeartRadio, shares the first-hand account of Black and Latinx people as they peel back the layers of hardship in a world that doesn’t always see them, all of them, for who they really are. Join host Zach Stafford, as he explores the topics of discrimination, family and religion giving us a better understanding of the difficulties these people face, allowing us to see their entire truths - no matter how complicated they might be. These conversations with thought-leaders, athletes and authors prove that regardless of circumstance, there’s always hope and health on the other side.

We all have a longing to be seen for who we are - even if who we are is more complex and messy to the outside world. In The Deep: Stories that Shape Us, a podcast from iHeartRadio, shares the first-hand account of Black and Latinx people as they peel back the layers of hardship in a world that doesn’t always see them, all of them, for who they really are. Join host Zach Stafford, as he explores the topics of discrimination, family and religion giving us a better understanding of the difficulties these people face, allowing us to see their entire truths - no matter how complicated they might be. These conversations with thought-leaders, athletes and authors prove that regardless of circumstance, there’s always hope and health on the other side.

Redefining Queer Masculinity and Healing: A Conversation with Yolo Akili Robinson

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9352c4a0-0590-42c0-ba32-af41012eea14/transcript