THIS IS WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTHY MASCULINITY
ACT LIKE A MAN
Self-Sufficiency
Acting Tough
Physical
Attractiveness
Disrupting The Man Box
Heterosexuality
& Homophobia
Hypersexuality
Aggression &
Control
Rigid Masculine
Gender Roles
The "man box" is a term coined by organizations such as the Oakland Men's project, A Call to Men and Promundo to describe the rigid definitions of what it means to be a man. The box is a way to describe these attributes and the pressure men experience trying to live up to these unrealistic expectations of manhood. The goal of healthy masculinity is to break the box.
WE CREATED A FORUM
The Healthy Masculinity forum is a place for men to connect with other men in order to question, reflect and ask what it means to be a healthy man, any time and from any place. The journey to healthy masculinity isn’t linear and is an ongoing process- the forum is here for every man. For this reason, we believe in taking a supportive approach and encouraging any man, wherever they may be, in their journey towards healthy masculinity. This forum is for any and all male identifying folks.
Healthy masculinity is men being emotionally available to nurture and support themselves and others; create instead of destroy; empathize and understand other's thoughts, feelings and experiences through listening and validation. Healthy masculinity also means recognizing our social, political and economic power and privilege in order to advocate for others. The definition of healthy masculinity is evolving through the voices of men and in solidarity with the voices of women and other populations.
In recent years, and with the rise of the #MeToo movement, the term "Toxic Masculinity" has emerged to describe the ways that men are socialized to adopt a narrow and repressive type of manhood that is violent, sex-driven, and legitimized by status and aggression. It's through toxic masculinity that men cause physical, emotional and psychological harm to themselves, and others. As we have come to develop the language to describe toxic masculinity, we simultaneously are adopting the language to define healthy masculinity, which includes gender equity for all.
This forum is for any and all that identify as male. We do not have a limited binary perspective on gender, sex or sexuality, however we are challenged by the dichotomy of talking about what it means to be a healthy man while at the same time trying to break down rigid masculine definitions. Wherever one may find themself on the gender continuum, this forum is open and here for those that want to understand their masculinity in order to achieve healthy manhood.