Hockey Canada Trial: A Reflection on Masculinity and Consent

On Monday, closing arguments are set to begin in the trial of five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Hockey Team. Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with sexually assaulting a woman known publicly as E.M. in London, Ont. in June of 2018. Michael McLeod also faces a second charge of being a party to sexual assault. All five men have pleaded not guilty.

Rachel Giese is the author of the 2018 book, Boys: What It Means to Become a Man. She’s also the Culture & Life editor at The Globe and Mail. Today, she’s on the show to unpack what this trial tells us about our cultural understanding of consent and masculinity, and how we can have better conversations with boys and young men by reaching them where they’re at.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com