Strangling you in chains. Smothering you in despair. Anxiety and depression can be mighty beasts to break free from. Unfortunately, the state of traditional masculinity is reinforcing these chains. Mental health is a major threat to the well-being of men. This cage constructs barriers and borders which limit their ability to thrive in the modern world.

Traditional Masculinity refers to a set of societal expectations foregrounded through the centuries by gender roles, stereotypes and beliefs. These expectations promote aggression, competitiveness, strength, and courage. In so doing, they discourage vulnerability, emotion, inclusiveness, and weakness.

From a young age, we are taught about gender roles and expectations by our family, peers and society itself. Consequently, many young males feel that in order to ‘fit’ into society, they must conform to these expectations and roles.

Traditional masculinity is still being displayed in schools, sports teams and households. It can be as simple as a mate telling you to stop crying after being tackled in rugby or after being hit by a cricket ball. Little by little, these small comments are continuing to contribute to the presence of traditional masculinity in our society. And little by little the stigma of manhood continues to chip way out of our mates, restricting and restraining them, preventing them from thriving in our modern society.

In a society where the chains of despair and the stigma of traditional masculinity still linger, young men are trapped in a cage of isolation, hindering them from seeking help and facing mental health challenges alone, as the heart-breaking statistics on male suicide continue to remind us.

This is demonstrated by figures released by the Victorian Coroners’ Court, portraying that in the first three months of 2023, 13 young Victorian people took their own lives. Of these 13 people, 9 of them were young males. (Press, 2023)

Ultimately, the stigma of manhood, ‘to take it on the chest’ or ‘to just brush it off’, traps young men in a cage, singling them out, preventing them from seeking help or assistance and compelling them to face depression and anxiety head on alone.

This is explored by Rob Garfield in his 2023 article, published in the Guardian, it’s Time to rethink modern masculinity, “Power, privilege and prestige – the perks of traditional manhood – have distracted men from embracing vulnerability and inclusivity as strengths.” (Garfield, 2023)

By embracing vulnerability, we will no longer feel the urge to man up and ‘take it on the chest’ and will encourage emotion and inclusivity. Ultimately, this will help develop a more diverse, compassionate and inclusive society; that will allow us, as young men of the Blue and Golds, to thrive in society.

So why stand and watch our brothers, fathers and mates slowly be taunted by the stigma of traditional masculinity? Let’s embrace vulnerability, be more inclusive and start thriving in our society. Whilst the restrictions and stereotypes of manhood lurk in our modern-day society, young men of mothers, fathers and the blue and gold will continue to take their own lives. Let’s stand up against the beast together. Let’s break the stigma as one.

- By Harry Rogers, Year 9 TGS student