HAPPY INTERNATIONAL MEN’S DAY 2021!
I love this day. it’s the time of the year when all the issues I and others speak about all year are put into focus. I’ve been lucky enough to host talks and workshops all week about masculinity, the challenges that men face, fatherhood, mental health, how to engage men in gender equality conversations and allyship.
It’s been amazing to get so many men together to have some real open conversations about toxic masculinity, work-life balance, patriarchy and much more. My favourite thing in the world is to set the scene then facilitate a conversation which people have never had before, so openly, with their friends and colleagues.
Let’s keep this work going all year round. We know the stats: suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45, 1 in 8 men are dealing with a common mental health problem like depression and anxiety and men are more likely to be homeless or in prison. And with that being said, we also know our privilege and how we can use that privilege to be allies to women and help fix the motherhood penalty, the gender pay gap, women’s senior representation and violence against women and girls.
This is not a zero-sum game. Let’s be allies to each other and create the world we want.
I’ve recorded this quick podcast (it’s 12 minutes long), which is a reflection on today, my thoughts on International Men’s Day, positive masculinity, allyship and my experiences hosting workshops and webinars with various different companies this week.
Hope you enjoy my musings!
Elliott, founder and CEO, MusicFootballFatherhood
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#InternationalMensDay2021