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Abstract
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A range of health and wellbeing issues experienced by boys and men have long been associated with adherence to traditional masculine norms, defined in part by unilateral and uncompromising strength, silence and self-reliance (Connell and Messerschmidt, 2005; King et al., 2021; Rice et al., 2021). Yet adhering to traditional masculine norms and defining one's masculinity in these domains is not pre-ordained. Provided a necessary blueprint to strive towards, boys and men can and will adopt a more positive masculinity that is likely to confer benefits to their wellbeing, defined by connection, motivation and authenticity (Wilson et al., 2022).
Now more than ever, it is important for researchers, clinicians and policy-makers alike to recognize that cultivating positive masculinities among boys and men is mental health promotion. The likely benefits of adopting positive masculinities are well known (Di Bianca and Mahalik, 2022), yet we lack the translation of this evidence into acceptable and effective mental health promotion interventions. A pertinent example to consider is the context of boys' and men's intimate relationships. A key health issue that affects people of all genders, but primarily girls and women is violence and abuse in the context of intimate relationships, as perpetrated by men (Levant and Pryor, 2020). Such behaviours are complex and multifactorial, but are often associated with adherence to traditional masculine beliefs of the necessity of power over women, control, and that violence is a legitimate response to masculine honour violations (Brezina et al., 2004; Kato-Wallace et al., 2019). Promoting positive masculinities defined by equal and respectful connection with one's partner norms equality in relationships, and is potentially one ingredient in addressing this problem and bettering the holistic wellbeing of communities. Furthermore...
Language: en |