Welcome to Part 2 of our Inspirational Interview with Chesko.
Chesko, known as “The Speech Prof” to over 2.5 million followers on social media, is a tenured professor of communication studies, online “Educator of the Year” award winner, national champion speech coach, host of the “Mr. Pick Me & The Manhater” podcast, loving husband, and father of three young children. With his research background in the areas of intersectional feminist rhetoric, Chesko uses his online platforms to battle the toxicity of the internet with kindness and comedy.
In this part of the interview, he talks about how to motivate more men to speak up when they witness sexist or violent behaviour toward women by their peers and shares his thoughts on how we can end VAW for good.
Part 1 of Chesko’s interview was published 6 July, 2025.
All photos and videos courtesy of Chesko.
6. Men who speak up and intervene when they witness their male peers harass, assault, or attack women and girls are still very much in the minority. Even though the #MeToo movement has influenced some men to start changing their attitudes and to take action, many still choose to remain silent. Based on your experience, what would it take to successfully reach out to and mobilise this silent majority to take action to stop VAW?
I think the biggest barrier is that most men genuinely don’t know what to do in those situations and they’re afraid of making things worse or being seen as a performative ally. We’ve created a culture where intervening feels risky–not just physically, but socially. Men worry about being called a “white knight” or having their motives questioned.
The reality is that most men will only change their behaviour when other men hold them accountable, because women have been saying these things for as long as I’ve been alive and they clearly aren’t listening. We need to normalise the idea that real men uplift others and, honestly, if you’re worried about losing friends by speaking up against harassment, maybe you need better friends. The “silent majority” stays silent because they think someone else will handle it, but we all have to be that someone else.
7. One of the keys to eradicating VAW is to get men and boys on board efforts to do so. What do you think are the most effective ways of galvanising men and boys to help to end VAW?
I think that IS where social media can play a huge role. I think young men are genuinely seeking out alternatives to the Andrew Tates of the world, but finding options few and far between. My own following in their demographic has grown substantially, but there needs to be more examples of men who are unapologetically showing that there are more ways to be “manly” that don’t involve harming women in one way or another.
8. Tell us about your plans for the future. What do you have coming up in the next 5 years for The Speech Prof channel?
I am currently in the early stages of writing a book, but aside from that I’m honestly not certain what the future will bring. I’ll be honest in that being a full-time professor, a husband and father, and my current efforts online with my podcast and my social media channels already have me stretched to capacity, so if I end up getting any larger I’m going to have to make some difficult choices on what I can continue doing.
9. How can The Pixel Project’s supporters engage with and support your efforts to stop VAW?
One of my major goals is to become less reliant on social media to get my work out to my audience. The algorithm is often unfavourable for those of us willing to take a stand on these issues, so subscribing to me on my Substack where I have full control over how to reach my audience is one of the best ways.
10. In your considered opinion, how can we end VAW for good?
I don’t think there’s a simple answer to this, but I do think it starts with recognising that violence against women is fundamentally about power and control and not about any specific individual. We need to address the systems that allow this violence to flourish–from the subtle ways we socialise boys to believe they’re entitled to women’s bodies (and attention), to the more overt ways our institutions fail to protect women.
The work has to happen on multiple levels: we need more men willing to have uncomfortable conversations with other men; we need better education about consent and healthy relationships starting at a young age; and we need to hold perpetrators accountable while also addressing the root causes.
But honestly, I think the biggest shift will come when we stop treating women’s safety as a “women’s issue” and start recognising it as a human rights issue that requires all of us, especially men, to do better. It’s going to take sustained effort from everyone, but I have to believe it’s possible.