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TL;DR
We made a card game to combat toxic masculinity.
For years, phrases like “pause,” “no homo,” and “ayo” have shaped how men—especially Black and Brown men—move through the world. What started in early-2000s hip hop turned into a reflex to police anything that might seem “gay,” even when it’s completely normal.
The result? Men skip harmless joys—eating a hot dog, using an umbrella, showing warmth—just to avoid judgment. And it’s not a “gay issue.” It affects everyone. Straight men don’t want to be mislabeled, gay men feel othered, and all men get stuck performing masculinity instead of living it.
The No Pause Project is a cultural movement designed to help men challenge the conditioning around masculinity and reclaim everyday joy—no explanations, no second-guessing, and absolutely no “pause.”
At the heart of the project is the No Pause Card Game, created to spark the conversations men rarely get to have. The game dares players to confront the fears, humor, and habits shaped by pause culture. Whether you’re playing with friends, a brother, a cousin, or a kid you mentor, the cards serve as a simple way to open up about identity, comfort,
and confidence.
The goal was to expand what masculinity can look like and empower all men—straight or gay, trans or cis—to own who they are and say, “f*ck ’em.”
Along with the game design and packaging we created social media pages, mailed the game to interested organizations and gained 1 million impressions of donated media.
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