Starting the conversation on Men's health
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Starting the conversation on Men's health
On the 16th and 17th of November 2014, a group of Universal Medicine students came together in association with the community organisation Real Media Real Change to host two men’s conferences in celebration of International Men’s Day, one in Lennox Head NSW, and one in Brisbane QLD.
Founded on the real life changes these men have made in their own lives – changes that run against the current negative trends regarding men’s health – the conference presented an opportunity for men to consider not only the role they are asked to play in society, but also how this is impacting upon their health.
It was an opportunity to celebrate men for all that they could be and are when freed from the roles they think they have to play. It was also showcased that when given the opportunity, space, and consideration that men have a lot to express and communicate.
In honour of this fact, the conference was aptly named “Men’s Health - Starting the Conversation."
The day brought together a mix of medical professionals and everyday men from all ages and walks of life, talking candidly on their experiences with socially awkward subjects such as:
- porn
- drug addiction
- depression
and other less controversial, but nevertheless rarely talked about subjects such as:
- fatherhood
- retirement
- and “why men don’t like going to the doctor”.
It was by all means a humorous but informative day, clearing the path for us as men to understand that although we may take on many roles in life, none of those roles are as important as we are in our tender loving essence.
This may be hard to accept in a society that judges and measures us by what we do and puts pressure on us to perform and ‘succeed’ on so many levels. But what was felt by so many of the men that attended this men’s conference was that it is now time for us to consider that just like the families we are taught to care, protect and provide for, we too, as men, are truly worth looking after.
Men's Health - Starting the Conversation
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