Eric Taylor wants his daughter to recognise your dusty son’s sexist behaviour when she grows up - and call him out on it.
Known on social media as @girldad_e, Eric is using his huge platform (226k followers on Instagram and almost 7k on TikTok) to model what he calls ‘healthy masculinity’, both to his daughter and yours.
And, most importantly, your dusty son.
Born and raised by a single mother, Eric never knew his dad, and vowed to be everything he never was - while spreading the message that we can all be better.
In the viral clips, ominous music plays as Eric engages in a positive action, stopping briefly to glare at the camera as the key message flashes on screen, before returning his attention to his daughter, and the task at hand.
Image: Instagram/@girldad_e
Eric’s videos are funny, but they send an important message.
Messages such as:
Addressing my daughter’s emotions so she knows your dusty son better not try to tell her to “calm down”.
Apologising to my daughter for my actions so your dusty son doesn’t get away with “I’m sorry you feel that way”.
Doing the bed correct in the morning so my daughter knows your dusty son won’t be another child to take care of.
Image: Instagram/@girldad_e
But there’s a deeper message too.
Through his videos, Eric highlights the influential role men play in the lives of their little girls - be they daughters, step-daughters, nieces or sisters. The standard they set, is the standard those little girls will hold their future partners to.
It’s about leading by example, modeling positive behaviours and treating the girls and women in their lives with respect.
Because those little girls, are always watching.
"Most children’s understanding of the world is caught, not taught, and therefore the examples set by male role models become all the more important," says life coach and founder of Strong Men'd Gary Fahey.
"At some stage in the young girls lives they will be responsible for making choices about the men they let into their life, be it intimate relationships, friendships or employers. Male role models, in particular through the early development stages of a young girl's life, demonstrate the standard of what a ‘good man’ is, how they act, and what you can or should expect from them."
Gary says if men aren't consciously focused on the role they play in future relationships of the girls in their lives, the chances of those girls ultimately seeking out or accepting harmful practices significantly increases.
"Any man that saddles up for a role model position in a young person’s life should be very conscious about the standard they hope to set, what actions embody that standard and then do everything in their power to live it out."
Even if girls know what they want and believe they want better, everything they soak up throughout their formative years while watching their male role models, may lead to them accepting what they will eventually know as the standard.
"The level of acceptance that a young woman would have towards the behaviour of, and treatment from, a partner will be directly related to the experiences she has had growing up."
We know unhealthy relationships can spiral, leading to coercive control and even physical violence. Mental health expert Christina Foxwell says showing respect for women and girls in daily interactions is a critical part of role modelling healthy masculinity.
"This not only shows the importance of being treated with respect, it also teaches that this behaviour is a norm and not something they should be negotiating with men in adulthood."
That doesn't mean being perfect, and that's part of Eric's message too. Many of his videos discuss how to apologise, take accountability, and acknowledge mistakes. Christina agrees.
"I must stress the importance of saying sorry and taking responsibility for following through on what they commit to."
Feature image: Instagram/@girldad_e
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