The male identity crisis
94,193 views |
Fraser Smith |
TEDxGlasgow
• June 2019
When you hear the expression ‘man up’, what does it make you think?
Is it about being tougher? More dominant? Or putting on a brave face?
There’s continued pressure on men to live up to a masculine ideal portrayed by the entertainment industry and on social media. In response, new initiatives call for men to acknowledge their vulnerabilities and ask for help, rather than play the hero. On the flip side, other social movements stigmatise men as being wired for aggressive and predatory behaviour.
Male identity is at a crisis point.
How can men find a sense of themselves amongst such narrow and conflicting ideas of masculinity? And what impact is the male identity crisis having on men’s mental health?
Psychological counsellor, Fraser Smith, shares his research into the impact of male identity and makes a heartfelt case for us to adopt a new way of thinking about what it means to be a man in 2019.