There is a Drought

Where are all the men?

In the world of volunteering, community action and community work there is a drought of male input.

In our Wellbeing Listener courses, the majority of participants are women (90%). When I asked for people to fill in a survey about mental wellbeing through Facebook only 3 men responded (out of a total of 54 people). The charities and CICs that are represented in our local forum are overwhelming represented by women.

It strikes me that we need the voice of men more than ever in our local communities… but not in the traditional sense.

We need a new energy from men.

It’s time for men to start directing attention to communities, to volunteering and to be supportive; for men to start being interested and recognise the hidden, unpaid, un-acknowledged work that is on-going in communities, families and society.

Historically white men have been the voice of western civilisation, of news, of philosophy, of science, of theology, of commentary, of exploration, of colonialism, of war, of progress, of medicine, of psychiatry and politics.

However we don’t want the voice of men in the traditional sense. We don’t require a knight in shining armour – we don’t need a warrior to save anyone.

Communities will flourish when men enable those who are reticent and quiet to be heard. When men release a different type of energy in the world, it will be like rain on parched ground.

We need a new type of male leader.

Society longs for male leaders that use their drive and focus to keep asking the questions that need to be asked; questions about inequality, poverty, abuse of power.

We need men to encourage and highlight the great community work that’s on-going and for men to ask uncomfortable questions of other men; to challenge prejudices around women, the poor, the BAME-community, the climate and economics.

We need men to realise that they exude a compelling energy when they share from an open, honest and authentic space.

The full potential within our society will only be released with a different kind of energy. We don’t want the old ways (of might, strength, wealth and power) to dominate society.

Society yearns for the full spectrum of male energy. It’s time for men to realise they are needed more than ever … the cultural narrative of masculinity is constricting and suffocating for everyone.

And as a woman I aspire to listen and understand. I need to realise that many men feel trapped in the narrow, construct of masculinity displayed in society. I want to be curious, ask questions and deeply listen.

If this resonates with you (whether you are a man or a woman) please let me know. I have some ideas of how we might start this conversation.