Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso GQ’s Will Welch on the Future of Magazines (and Men)
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Oct 26, 2025 Will Welch, the Global Editorial Director of GQ, dives into the magazine's upcoming special issue focused on American masculinity. He shares insights from a survey exploring modern men's views on privilege and loneliness in a digital age dominated by surveillance. Welch reflects on the cultural fascination with Gen Z and the impact of music like OutKast on his upbringing. He discusses his journey through recovery, spirituality influenced by Ram Dass, and the evolving role of magazines in today’s fast-paced world.
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Masculinity Is Complex, Not Binary
- Masculinity isn't a simple pendulum swinging between 'toxic' and 'woke'.
- Will Welch argues the current moment is complex, uncomfortable, and not a return to the past.
Surveillance Limits Low-Stakes Mistakes
- Young men feel paralyzed by public scrutiny and lack safe spaces to learn.
- Welch links loneliness and surveillance to anxiety about making private mistakes public.
Wokeness Shapes Reactions To Movements
- Many cultural reactions to Me Too and other movements get lumped into 'wokeness'.
- That grouping helps explain why support for Me Too among men sits below majority levels.
