Why I'm hosting an event for men

Why am I hosting a storytelling event for men?

I’m a feminist and what I have learned over the years about feminism is that it challenges systems, attitudes and beliefs that prevent women receiving the same privileges as men. What I also believe is that those same systems, attitudes and beliefs are also pretty bloody unhelpful for most men too! I mean the patriarchy is only really working out for the privileged few. So just as I believe men need to be involved in feminism I also feel the need to look at the other side of the coin and how feminism can help men too.

We only have to look at the figures on men’s health and well-being to see how it’s playing out...

• 20% of men die before they reach 65. Men are 14% more likely to get cancer than women and 37% more likely to die of the disease. Men between the age of 20 and 40 are half as likely to go to the doctor than women of the same age.

• Men are 57% more likely to be victims of violent crime.

• 86% of rough sleepers are men.

• 1 million children in the UK have no contact with their fathers.

• And of course the one that the world is finally recognising is that suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45. 12 men die by suicide every day. My brother was one of them and died at age 43.

People are a product of the society they live in, and I absolutely acknowledge the privileges that men have over women, I am a woman! AND I see time and time again the struggles my partner, dad, friends and my brother had to make sense of being a man in the world today.

So yes I’m a woman hosting a men’s wellness night. Although just to be clear this event is open to ANYONE ❤️