Talking points: masculinity, culture
Honored to have connected with the Barefoot Dutchman himself this week. In case you hadn’t heard, Anton Nootenboom recently finished walking over 3100 miles—barefoot—from LA to NYC to support men’s mental health. Yes. Barefoot. We dig into the why, the how, and Anton’s core philosophies. Listen in, team.
(00:00:00) – Intro, and what the mental and emotional strain was like
(00:15:39) – Why Anton wanted to raise awareness for men’s mental health
(00:22:04) – What are men struggling with the most these days, and what needs to change
(00:37:48) – The struggle of shifting perspectives on men’s culpability and responsibility, and what to say to younger guys
(00:44:12) – Why is it important for men to do hard things?
Anton Nootenboom is a military veteran with three tours in Afghanistan. He faced severe mental health challenges afterwards, including depression and suicidal thoughts. He found healing in barefoot walking and speaking out about his experiences. Today, his journey embodies his message: men should feel empowered to seek help and talk about mental health.
The #BraveMenTalk initiative, launched in partnership with Barebarics, emphasizes that one man dies by suicide every minute globally. Anton’s walk aimed to raise critical funds and encourage men to embrace a new type of bravery—one that fights against stigma and opens up pathways for support.
Connect with Anton:
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarefoot_dutchman/
-TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@barefootdutchie
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anton.nootenboom.3
