Intelligent Masculinity with Arturo Dominguez

“Intelligent masculinity is really nothing more than common sense. You want respect? You have to give it. You can’t say toxic masculinity means all masculinity is toxic—that’s not what it means. It means stripping away the parts that harm people. You can be strong, protective, rational, and compassionate at the same time.”~ Arturo Dominguez ~Masculinity In ReviewIn this 11th interview of Intelligent Masculinity, Nick Paro sits down with journalist and Decolonized Journalism publisher Arturo Dominguez to examine masculinity through the lenses of culture, community, immigration, race, and family. The conversation reframes intelligent masculinity as communal responsibility rather than rugged individualism, cultural respect rather than strict purity politics, and unbridled joy as resistance in the face of unrelenting chaos.Our discussion opens with a cultural celebration—Bad Bunny’s halftime performance at the 2026 Super Bowl—before we pivoted into the needed, deeper conversation: the political power of representation.For Arturo, culture is living memory—its resistance and survival—and survival, especially in marginalized communities, has always required collective strength. He highlights an under-discussed topic in Stater masculinity discourse:“Latin American and Caribbean cultures, despite machismo elements, often maintain stronger communal frameworks than white Protestant American individualism.”This becomes the central contrast in our discussion:* White Christian nationalist masculinity → domination, purity, superiority* Communal masculinity → protection, responsibility, upliftArturo explicitly names how toxic masculinity merges with white nationalism, imperialism, and foreign policy aggression. In our framing, masculinity is more than just a personal stance—it shapes geopolitics.One of the most important themes throughout our discussion is Arturo’s critique of “bootstrap masculinity.” This old, Protestant ethic of self-reliance—“I don’t need help”—is a cultural distortion that intentionally isolates men from community support systems. He contrasts this with his learned, communal traditions from Cuba; the differences between community-first “Latin American” vs the self-first “Euro American” social structures; and the use of parallel systems supporting interdependence within immigrant neighborhood.Where rugged individualism says:“I built this alone.”Communal masculinity says:“We survive together.”Arturo’s reframing fits perfectly with the underlying political thesis that: democracy is community at scale—and fascism is abuse at scale.Arturo’s reflections on his mother and grandmother provide us the needed emotional anchor. These women shaped his understanding of masculinity through respect and protection. His grandmother’s pride in Afro-Cuban heritage, her insistence on honoring African lineage, and her refusal to erase culture in favor of assimilation illustrate a key point:“Intelligent masculinity does not erase identity to feel safe. It protects it.”When asked to define intelligent masculinity, Arturo strips it down to a list of deceptively simple traits: be respectful, be rational, be compassionate, add protection without dominating, and be reflective before reacting. He repeatedly emphasizes that toxic masculinity is not “all masculinity”—it is masculinity stripped of respect—and his framing is refreshingly direct:“You get what you give in this world. If you want respect, you must give it.”That golden rule framing—do unto others as you want done unto you—is behavioral discipline.One of the strongest moments in the interview is Arturo’s discussion of self-reflection. He discusses this through a history of fighting Nazis, defending his family physically, and the responsibility around owning firearms. While also drawing an important line:Self-reflection is how you ensure you are defending—not becoming the aggressor.This is critical—as intelligent masculinity requires discipline in force—while shedding the false model of passivity. Arturo’s “three steps ahead” mindset—thinking through consequences before acting—embodies this principle. He offers a powerful insight:Most of life is outside your control. Your reaction is not.That distinction may be one of the clearest definitions of intelligent masculinity in the entire series.Another powerful theme emerges near the end: joy. Even amid all of the political chaos, constructed fears on immigration, targeted threats to Cuba, and rising community instability—Arturo emphasizes finding small moments of happiness. Moments separated from escapism or denial—rather, intentionally using joy as a survival strategy.In our understanding of intelligent masculinity, joy becomes an integral, intentional discipline—not a vain indulgence—and Arturo Dominguez shows us the power of using it.~Nick Paro Actions You Can Take* Check out the new Sick of this Shop!* Check out Banner & Backbone Media’s new BroadBanner network and affiliate calendar — including all Sick of this Shit Publications branded shows!Sign the Petitions:* Demand Congress Subpoena Key Figures on the Epstein Case* Investigate Presidential Use of the Autopen for Pardons and Executive Actions* Mandate that ICE agents show their face and identificationSubmit questions, feedback, and artwork for Notes of the Week with Nick and Walter:* Sick of this Shit Community Comment FormSupport Ukraine:* Donate towards generatorsCall your public servants on important issues:* 5calls.orgJoin the efforts to unmask law enforcement:* safedc.infoLearn empathy forward, human centered, experiment based Leadership & Growth Courses for Higher Ed & Non-Profit Professionals:* B. Cognition LabsThank you Melissa Corrigan, she/her, Will Fullwood, Yanni Hamburger, Lori Modafferi, Whatzgoinon, and many others for tuning into my live video with Arturo Dominguez and Banner & Backbone Media! Join me for my next live video in the app.Nick’s NotesI’m Nick Paro, and I’m sick of the shit going on. So, I’m using poetry, podcasting, and lives to discuss the intersections of chronic illness and mental wellbeing, masculinity, veteran’s issues, politics, and so much more. 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