Kiwi blokes should think about how they can expand their definitions of masculinity, a street-level mental health campaigner says.
As part of the All Right group’s research helping Cantabrians who have faced challenges, particularly post-earthquakes, the Manly As campaign asks men to have a think about masculinity and how they can expand their definition of New Zealand blokes, often seen as stoic, tough, and staunch.
Greg in the "Manly As" Campaign Photo: supplied
Publican Johnny Moore, speaking to Jesse Mulligan, says one of his friends, Greg, offered campaigners his story as he’s faced depression in the past.
Moore penned an essay about his mate for the campaign, in which he says he reckons too few men talk about their struggles.
Moore says men who seem tough can also be caring. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
"While he’s been happy and healthy for most of the time we’ve been buddies, it hasn’t been a perfect run.
“The reality is that the old black dog is always waiting around the corner, and even if he’s been waiting a long time he can come visiting when you least need it. My sister Anna is good at communicating with Greg. She tells him when he’s headed into a dark place and helps find strategies to find the light.”
Moore, a publican, says he’s involved with the campaign to help and to highlight that someone others might think of as stoic can be sensitive and thoughtful.
“He’s a pretty special guy to me.
“I just wanted to talk about Greg as a father, as a friend, as a brother in law and as a husband because he is the husband to my sister and father to my niece and nephew.
“And from first glance ... you’d think he’s manly as, he’s sort of filthy hands and he can disassemble any machine that’s given to him but there is also a sensitive side to the guy.
“He’s a guy who’s a really good caring thoughtful father. He’s really good with my sister. Since the earthquakes, they’ve had various forms of mental health... not issues, but things that have come and gone as everyone in Christchurch has.
“I just wanted to highlight that sometimes the guys you think are the big manly stoic types can be a bit more sensitive and caring than they would seem at first."
The campaign tries to promote the many forms of masculinity.
“The strong, stoic man isn’t wrong in the slightest … there are lots of other versions of manliness.”
And, a big part of mental health is about creating discussions, Moore says.
Are Cantabrian men opening up?
“Not everyone’s there yet but it’s a work in progress, isn’t it?
“Depression’s a funny thing.
"We don’t just have crippling, 'curled up in the corner' depression. Sometimes it’s something that some people deal with every day and that’s part of dealing with mental health … the people who have milder forms of these conditions, as well.”
Visit the All Right site here.
