Aussie parents come to blows in controversial 'woke' TV segment gaining attention around the world

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

A heated discussion kicked off on popular television show Parental Guidance on Monday when the subject of gender roles for kids' chores and playtime came up.
Josh, one of the 'Life School' parents on Nine's reality panel show, sparked a heated debate after explaining why he doesn't get his five sons - between the ages of 6 and 13 - involved in household chores.
'I think we should be very careful not to feminise our males too much in society,' Josh told the group.
Melbourne mum-of-four Tammy, 49, grimaced: 'I'm really anti that boys will be boys,' she said. 'It really does stereotype a type of behaviour that is not okay.'
As footage of the argument took off on social media, parents from around the world have lavished praise on Sydney dad Hassan for his level-headed clapback.
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'It's very important, whether you've got boys or girls at home, that you get them involved [in household chores]early, he said.
'Because your young boys are going to be men one day,' Hassan told Josh.
Hassan, 36, and Amanda, 34, also have five children (three girls and two boys between the ages of one and 10), who they are raising 'the Hard Way' with an emphasis on their Lebanese heritage and cultural values, routine, mutual respect.
'I'm definitely not saying "Don't do that, that's a woman's job",' Josh backpedalled.
But then he doubled down, eliciting several eye rolls and one audible gasp by saying: 'But boys aren't naturally nurturing.'
Josh, 42, and his partner Cassie, 42, are full-time caravanners and have been living on the road for three years, with Josh working as a freelance auto-electrician/mechanic.
'They can be!' Hassan interjected.
'If a man has to change a nappy, or cook or clean, it doesn't make him less of a man.'
Wollongong mum-of-two Sofia Dimi backed him up.
'But I think that it's okay if they want to be a little bit more feminine,' she said.
'I think stereotyping that men should just be a certain way can put a lot of pressure on men.'
Parental Guidance, hosted by Ally Langdon and parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson on Nine, tackles how different parenting styles approach topics such as children's lives online, consent, peer pressure and body image.
The topic of this episode was 'Mental Health' and Nine has billed it as the 'most polarising and controversial' to date.
Dr Coulson sided with Hassan.
'We know that more men ascribe to unhealthy ideas about what masculinity is - such as, "I have to be tough, I have to be self sufficient, I can't seek support" - the more their mental health drops, and the more likely they are to be abusive, or be abused,' he said.
Footage of the argument, shared to Nine's Instagram and TikTok accounts on Tuesday, has racked up tens of thousands of comments in the past 24 hours.
Footage of the argument, shared to Nine's Instagram and TikTok accounts, has racked up tens of thousands of comments in the past 24 hours
'"We shouldn't feminise men." Dude has the longest hair there,' one commented.
'I'd rather raise a soft boy than an aggressive one,' a second wrote on TikTok.
'The dad in pink knows what's up. Speak up king, say it louder for those in the back,' a third agreed.
'There is a difference between feminising males and raising respectful men who see females as their equal,' one mum pointed out, with another adding: '"Boys aren't naturally nurturing." And who set that system up?'
'That couple I feel like are really good parents. I think it's good to show that cause it breaks stereotypes,' one viewer added on Instagram.
'A man that does his share of household duties and parenting isn't a feminine man. That is a healthy masculinity,' penned another.
'A man that comes home from a day of work and sits on the couch and doesn't lift a finger at home or parent the children they brought into the world, expects their partner to clean up after them, and watches their phone or plays computer games is just another child looking for a mommy.'
'My sons are naturally very nurturing. They are so affectionate, thoughtful, and deeply caring,' added another parent.