We want to celebrate healthy men. Men are often portrayed to be worthless and disposable in today’s economy. In advertisements, movies, and songs, it’s always the man that are cast as being disposable. This needs to change. We want to contribute to the restoration of male dominance and prove that it’s acceptable to be a strong, self-assured man.
"We're in a disposable economy, we have no value. Everywhere you look country songs, R&B songs, commercials, movies; it's always the man who's disposable. It's always the man who's this goofy little bitch, and I want to re-establish our masculine dominance. When I say dominance, I'm not talking about dominating people I want men to feel okay to be a man."
Jerod Schoonmaker
Masculinity & What it Takes to be Healthy Men
Conversations can become more fruitful and meaningful when guys may express themselves without concern for judgement by haters. For instance, Jerod explains how he’s a 47-year-old veteran who has experienced bankruptcy and divorce. Through these confessions, we hope that others would realize that the past doesn’t define you or prevent you from achieving your goals. He is a single parent after his ex-wife died, but now that his kids are a little older, he has experiences from all walks of life. We can understand women who identify as single mothers, and better we empathize with them.
Men’s Support
We should begin by talking about an uncomfortable subject. Last year, suicide claimed more male lives than cancer did. Unfortunately, when discussing this topic, there is a fall of quiet and uneasiness. Men need to take control of their life and take back some of the territory they’ve lost over the years. Distorted media narratives spread throughout society unchallenged. We must discuss and handle what is going on amongst ourselves. If we have these conversations, in 20 years the next generation will have something left behind for guidance.