'Make a Difference for Men & Boys'
I believe in equality and it’s something I spend time thinking about… working out new ways to try and reach out to people in need, help change perceptions or even reduce stigma shown towards different groups of people. Perhaps it’s because I’m a vaguely nice person who wants to see a better world; or maybe it’s because I’ve been on the receiving end of stigmatisation and feeling really alone due to my personal struggles. The thing about mental health problems is that they don’t discriminate between genders, races or difference… perhaps in a way mental health problems are a wee bit more accepting than I’ve seen people be over the course of this week but maybe that’s for a different time…!
One thing is clear… Men aren’t socially programmed to talk about their emotions and mental health, even less so than women! I’ve experienced how challenging it can be to open up about your mental health, so I can begin to imagine the difficulties men must face. I was really inspired by Jonny Benjamin’s stranger on the bridge story; you should check out his blog posts as they’re so inspiring and are really demonstrating that it’s ok for guys to try and speak out about their mental health. Over the last few years there’s been a staggering increase in male suicides (78% of suicides are male). The statistics are scary, so it’s really important we start breaking down some of the barriers that men are facing which are preventing them from seeking the help and support they deserve.
This years International Men’s Day theme is to ‘Make a Difference for Men and Boys’; through raising awareness of issues such as the high male suicide rate, men’s health and mental health issues, negative portrayals of fathers and collective tolerance of violence against men and boys (including sexual violence and domestic abuse). I think all of these issues should be on the equality gender, no man should feel unable to talk about what’s going on for them.
As a feminist, I find myself in a slightly uncomfortable position… I believe in equality for all genders, so it seems to make sense that I would support a day that raises awareness of the issues faced by men, but of course this goes against some feminist views so it ends up feeling more uncomfortable than I believe it should do. At work, our young people are hidden behind ambiguous usernames meaning I often wouldn’t know (without looking at notes) if they were male of female… it’s clear that there are a lot of issues that run across all genders and are faced by all of the young people we speak to. If we can develop a culture of acceptance where anyone’s struggles are worthy of discussion and support, then perhaps we can get a grip on these issues before they become really deep seated and cause huge mental health problems. I will be making sure I check in with my guy friends, especially the one’s I know who would possibly struggle to make their needs and struggles known.
Happy International Men’s Day everyone!
Two of my greatest passions in life are seeing social change and helping to sculpt the lives of young people, enabling them to go on to achieve great things. I am a champion of all things third sector and an activist and campaigner at heart, brimming with excitement for innovation and change.
I’ve been interested in fundraising and charity since I was at highschool and am full of mad cap ideas to gain peoples interest in the cause I am representing or raise money whether it’s through hard work individually or in a team or through stunts such as finding a way to bring a reindeer on to University grounds for a winter themed event. I’m a yoga loving vegetarian, writer, blogger, activist, feminist, irrational cat mother, with great smelling hair. Originating from Suffolk, living in York. Recovery warrior, working in mental health sector, wanting to change the world one day… and have a French Bulldog!
Read Kate's blog: http://kate-elliott.co.uk/ or follow her on Twitter @kates2091
