“Taking the piss, and taking a stand”: Australian men’s journey through lad culture

Lad culture is a pervasive social phenomenon characterised by group mentality and hegemonic masculine ideals. This study explores Australian lad culture to understand the obstacles men face navigating masculine social spaces and tensions between personal values and social conformity. Building on limited UK-focused research, this study examines the distinctly Australian cultural context shaped by larrikin traditions rather than class-based expressions of masculinity. Qualitative, exploratory semi-structured interviews with 11 Australian men aged 18–37 were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Key findings revealed a spectrum of lad culture where men position themselves differently depending on context, group composition, and life stage. Australian cultural expectations maintaining a larrikin persona created challenges for addressing problematic behaviour, as men navigated social pressures to appear carefree while simultaneously policing masculine performance through banter and homophobic discourse. Participants described a developmental trajectory where lad culture engagement evolved, suggesting interventions need age-specific approaches. This study contributes a framework for understanding Australian expressions of lad culture and its impacts on men’s social relationships, with findings that could inform culturally specific approaches to addressing problematic aspects of masculine performance.