“You’re a man, you shouldn’t cry.”, “Behave like a man”, “Don’t whine if you’re a man”

These are just some of the programs that every boy hears as he grows up. I am talking about the Balkan context, but I am sure that this narrative is spreading all over the world. Men are not allowed to be weak.

But what happens when they grow up? They suffer! Quiet and unobtrusive, because they do not know how to deal with their weakness and frustration. They drink, because they don’t know how else to dull their pain. They are aggressive and can hurt their loved ones, because that is exactly what it means to be a man: to demonstrate power and to defend oneself. The myths surrounding masculinity can give birth to monsters, and also can kill.

The trap of masculinity can cause men to suppress their emotional and physical pain for years, leading to unwanted consequences and even premature death. Men die earlier than women – according to statistics, men die 5 years earlier than women, and this is preventable! Talking about it and cultivating a culture of care for both women and men is the answer.

In 2004, a group of Australian guys launched a campaign to help men with prostate cancer. In just a few years the campaign spread under the name Movember (from November and “M for a man”). Today, the campaign covers all continents and has one main goal: to teach men and society that seeking help and taking care of yourself is important for every man. This can give men and their families a healthy and fulfilling life by learning to take care of their health.

Together we can achieve that change!

How can you get involved in the campaign?

The most popular campaign is related to the moustache. That is right moustache. Men from all over the world shave their faces smooth on November 1 and start growing a moustache – the idea is not to shave for a whole month. The main goal is to attract the attention of others and to talk about the campaign and men’s health.

Other activities are related to sports activities, such as going 60 km for the month of November. Sounds scary! But the idea is for men to get organized and take care of their physical health.

More about the possible actions and information on the campaign can be found at www.movember.com