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
Latest Blog
Reducing Stress: the Key to a Peaceful Life
Have you ever felt the soul-crushing burden of stress dragging your life through the mud? Ever had your precious time dwindled away at the hands of stress, while you are left powerless and alone? Well all this pain and anguish can be resolved in an instant; and all it takes is a change in the way we think. This alteration in brain chemistry is defined as mindfulness, the ability to obtain momentary awareness and recognition of our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness is the key to defeating…
Gaining Ground with a Growth Mindset
I have seen the posters. I have sat the assemblies. I have watched the ads telling us about growth mindsets and how to develop one, and I'm sure you have too. But what we don't do is apply it to ourselves to help benefit our lives, however, there is no reason to blame yourself. The growth mindset is a deep topic that has many layers to it and is extremely important to have today. While we might blame other things on our weaknesses, it all links back to one thing – our mindset. To benefit our…
Sleeping Away the Mental Health Crisis
Two in five. That’s how many young Australians between the ages of 16 and 24 have experienced a mental disorder in the last 12 months (ABS, 2022). Let that sink in. Think of your closest five mates. Odds are that two of them are suffering right now from a crippling mental illness. According to recent studies conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia is witnessing an unprecedented rise in mental health issues among its youth, leaving them vulnerable and struggling (Headspace,…
Time for a Wake Up Call
Did you know that one in five 12–17-year-olds average over 8 hours of screen time a day? That means that in a 14-hour day, 57% of their waking hours involve looking at a screen! This madness is contributing to a very significant problem all teenagers face - sleep deprivation. It is killing us. We are becoming walking zombies rather than happy, growing lads. However, we can end this treacherous technological tyranny by putting down our screens before bed. Stop and think for a second. How much…
Breaking the Stigma
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.…
The Power of Gratitude
“What do you say mate?” your mum nudges you as the waitress hands you your dinosaur nuggets. “Thank you.” You have always been told to use good manners, and to say thank you, but what does thank you actually mean? Is it just two meaningless words uttered with monotonous regularity, or is it a tool that can alleviate mental health issues generating happiness and a sense of wellbeing? Gratitude is the sunlight that lights up those dark days. The ability to be grateful is at the core of personal…
The Silent Epidemic: Unveiling the Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
“Sleep that soothes away all our worries. Sleep that puts each day to rest. Sleep that relieves the weary laborer and heals hurt minds.” William Shakespeare (Macbeth, 1606) Heart Disease, Cancer, and Alzheimer's. Three life-threatening diseases. Three diseases all linked to lack of sleep. According to Dr. Okorie from the children’s health division of Stanford University, “7 out of 10 high school students are falling short of… (sleep) on school nights.” The Bulk of American teens are not getting…
Tik Tok - From Fun to Fear
Social media platforms have ingrained themselves into our daily lives in a time when technology is constantly evolving and drawing millions of users with seductive features and never-ending streams of captivating content. Among these, TikTok has become a worldwide phenomenon, captivating users with its viral challenges and short-form films. Underneath the fun and inventiveness however, there is growing concern about the risks connected to TikTok and other social media platforms. TikTok's…
Active Procrastination – Unlocking the Gates of Time
“Procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill.” - Christopher Parker – professional actor. Unfortunately, procrastination is a term that we are all familiar with as students; the vast majority of us have experienced it firsthand. It saps our time and results like a parasite, a burden on its host. However, despite it’s reputation, recent studies have shown that when harnessed correctly, procrastination can be a powerful tool to improve both academic efficiency…
