Q&A
With Co-Founder Gus Bhatia ('25)
Scroll to view
When did the idea of Lads' Lunch first come to you?
"After having a number of conversations with my teachers and my friends on the topics of gender and masculinity."
How do sessions typically run?
"We will get in the room and joke around for five minutes. Then we will pose a question, most recently it was about body image and another week it may be about homophobia. We’ll carry that discussion on the given topic until the end of lunchtime. Depending on how much the topic may divert, we’ll either let a tangent go or redirect."
What do you get out of Lads’ Lunch?
"I get a community that doesn’t feel the need to stigmatize anything I say, especially when I feel like I am putting myself forward for something that honestly should be taken comfortably but, I suppose, in many other circumstances wouldn’t be."
What do you hope others get out of Lads’ Lunch?
"I hope that they can be open to a new angle of what it means to be a guy and a friend, to be able to open up to the people in their lives and, of course, take all the positive traits so many of us hold within ourselves and harness them for the better."
What about Lads’ Lunch are you most grateful for?
"I’m most grateful for the trust that we’ve placed and have within ourselves and each other and for being able to be honest speakers and listeners in the room."
How did you and other Lads’ Lunch members publicize the space?
"Jaden and I hosted an Aequitas workshop based around similar themes and that was really successful. We saw quite a few new members come in from those who particularly enjoyed the message."
In what form do faculty members who attend Lads’ Lunch participate in sessions?
"The faculty exists as part of the discussion. They don’t tend to take much of a supervisory or mentor-esque role. They do a fantastic job at leveling with us."
Many of your close friends attend Lads’ Lunch. Are there any obstacles you have faced putting your friendship in this vulnerable space?
"This space has created room for communication within us as friends. Whenever issues come up in our friend group, we will often find ourselves referring back to what was mentioned in Lads’ Lunch in order to hold ourselves accountable for how we can be better friends."
How do you see Lads’ Lunch continuing after you graduate?
"I hope that the message can resonate with more and more guys in our community and that people feel invigorated to have these types of conversations."
Genially by Tara Behbehani
Lads' Lunch Q&A
Tara Behbehani
Created on March 31, 2025
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Transcript
Q&A
With Co-Founder Gus Bhatia ('25)
Scroll to view
When did the idea of Lads' Lunch first come to you?
"After having a number of conversations with my teachers and my friends on the topics of gender and masculinity."
How do sessions typically run?
"We will get in the room and joke around for five minutes. Then we will pose a question, most recently it was about body image and another week it may be about homophobia. We’ll carry that discussion on the given topic until the end of lunchtime. Depending on how much the topic may divert, we’ll either let a tangent go or redirect."
What do you get out of Lads’ Lunch?
"I get a community that doesn’t feel the need to stigmatize anything I say, especially when I feel like I am putting myself forward for something that honestly should be taken comfortably but, I suppose, in many other circumstances wouldn’t be."
What do you hope others get out of Lads’ Lunch?
"I hope that they can be open to a new angle of what it means to be a guy and a friend, to be able to open up to the people in their lives and, of course, take all the positive traits so many of us hold within ourselves and harness them for the better."
What about Lads’ Lunch are you most grateful for?
"I’m most grateful for the trust that we’ve placed and have within ourselves and each other and for being able to be honest speakers and listeners in the room."
How did you and other Lads’ Lunch members publicize the space?
"Jaden and I hosted an Aequitas workshop based around similar themes and that was really successful. We saw quite a few new members come in from those who particularly enjoyed the message."
In what form do faculty members who attend Lads’ Lunch participate in sessions?
"The faculty exists as part of the discussion. They don’t tend to take much of a supervisory or mentor-esque role. They do a fantastic job at leveling with us."
Many of your close friends attend Lads’ Lunch. Are there any obstacles you have faced putting your friendship in this vulnerable space?
"This space has created room for communication within us as friends. Whenever issues come up in our friend group, we will often find ourselves referring back to what was mentioned in Lads’ Lunch in order to hold ourselves accountable for how we can be better friends."
How do you see Lads’ Lunch continuing after you graduate?
"I hope that the message can resonate with more and more guys in our community and that people feel invigorated to have these types of conversations."
Genially by Tara Behbehani