Making Men: Shaping Boys’ Masculine Identities Through Rites of Passage

This event is held in the theatrette on the ground floor of the Brisbane square library followed by optional drinks at Jimmy's on the Mall. Please bring a gold coin donation to help with the meetup fee and note the unusual time 3-5 pm.
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Across cultures, rites of passage have long marked the transition from boyhood to manhood. In contemporary Western societies, however, these rituals have largely disappeared, leaving boys to navigate their own markers of maturity. Drawing on her doctoral research, Dr Jo Kingsman explores how a school-based rites of passage program influences adolescent boys’ understandings of masculine identity. Her research asks not only how such programs shape boys’ ideas of manhood, but also who they look to as role models in defining it. The talk examines how these programs can foster emotional growth and connection, while revealing the tensions between traditional masculine ideals and the potential for transformation. By listening to what boys say — and don’t say — we gain insight into how rites of passage experiences can challenge and reshape what it means to become a man today.

Speaker bio:
Dr Jo Kingsman is an educator and researcher in QUT’s School of Education. Her work explores how gender, identity, and power shape learning and leadership in schools, with a focus on fostering gender-transformative outcomes. Awarded QUT’s Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award, her PhD research, Making Men: Investigating Adolescent Boys’ Experiences of a School-Based Rite of Passage Program, examined how boys navigate multiple and sometimes conflicting expectations of masculinity. The findings continue to inform publications on gender, identity, and educational practice.

Her ongoing research spans two intersecting areas: how rites of passage programs might serve as cultural interventions against misogyny, incel culture, and harmful forms of masculinity; and the cultural and systemic factors shaping women’s pathways into senior school leadership, investigating how mentorship and sponsorship can foster more inclusive and equitable opportunities. Drawing on over 20 years of secondary teaching experience, she teaches pre-service educators in undergraduate and postgraduate programs, guiding students to foster equity, care, and critical reflection in their classrooms.