When We Cry: Mental Health, Masculinity, and Male Identity | James Wilkerson | TEDxLSSU
Every day, millions of men live with mental trauma due to toxic masculinity factors taught at a young age and sustained through life, and are unequipped to deal with it. Left unchecked, this trauma can manifest itself into crimes such as domestic violence, sexual misconduct, and murder. It is important that men understand how the masculinity identity can act as a barrier on the path to mental health, and apply healthy masculinity methods in order to (1) bypass these barriers, (2) break the toxic cycle for future generations of young boys, and (3) help their fellow men remove toxic stigmas in approaching their own trauma, thus creating a healthy male identity. Dr. James Wilkerson is an author, advocate, professor, and two time TEDx speaker in the areas of sexual assault prevention and gender issues. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
16 Comments
first🎉
Not true DONT play in people persons & things.
Fantastic work, Joey! You nailed it in so many ways! Vulnerability is a key. Tremendous presentation! It takes a helluva man to talk about these issues.
Thank you i needed this. cuz i am the one who checks on the bro's/sisters and family
i'm going to do my english project on this video! <3
This was nice.
I don't have bros to talk to or to check on me. What do I do then?
True that… All of that… Just one other thing…. Mental health need constant evaluation and maintenance
Yeah me either, we men are more alone than ever ,family dysfunctional they enslaved by the system dont wanna talk to eachother, only God has are back now ,i lost faith in humanity
I can take 10 pills and nobody gon bat an eye ,just gonna ask are u alright like clearly im not they ask that because they dont know what else to ask cuz of no recollection of mental health ,some of us are just better at embracing our problems
We need more people willing to help others other than just thinking of yourselfs being selfish
No. I support mental health awareness, especially for men. I do everything I can to destigmatize mental health issue, but I cannot in any way excuse what Will Smith did. I was probably one of his greatest admirers, amazed by his talent, his intelligence, and his success, but I was heartbroken by his conduct on this occasion and cannot ignore this was not the first time he slapped another man (the last one was just not famous). I'm DONE with Will Smith.
Everyone trying to help men’s mental health no one will care I Wish that they did but the reality is that no one cares do I want to die no but I don’t want to live so I am just existing for the rest of my life before I die
I remember once trying to get out of my bed. At that time i felt like i had a huge weight on my shoulders. Couldn't get up. Honestly i will never miss it. Just beczuse i broke my ankle a few prior to this event.
Turns out i was depressed, and with an undiagnosed ADHD. Still am in therapy.
Made me understand 2 quintessential things:
– a man can cry and still be strong. Accepting your feelings is proof of strength. "Man up" is okay ….. But not by bottling up your emotions.
– you matter. As much as your Friends, and your loves ones.
Growth requires work and patience
Sometimes talking to by-standers is better than people you know. I can tell you that some of the greatest people I have been able to talk about my personal issues was the staff that worked at Ceasars Windsor when I used to live in Windsor back from August 2011 to April 2013. I took Travel and Tourism at St. Clair College. By the way, the men and women took the time to talk to me and no one ever told me to "man up." I built a lot of friendships with the staff at that casino which is why I took a vacation to Windsor twice this summer. Yes, I went to see the fireworks on June 24, saw Larry The Cable Guy on August 16, and went across the border to Detroit to see the Detroit Historical Museum on August 17.
This is a great TED Talk. Even men need to do better to support one another. We have a lot of potential. Don't be afraid to call your congress members, politicians, CEOs, and business leaders to ensure that they are supporting policies and services needed for men and their well being. We are all in this together and we can change the world.
To the men and women out there, don't be afraid to pick up the phone, send a text, email, or even a postcard to see how someone is doing. Include people such as people with disabilties out to your own outings such as going to dinner or even going out for a coffee.
Thank you for this TED Talk James, keep up the amazing work!