This series of articles shines a light on toxic masculinity and encourages Australians to support themselves and their mates. Featuring industry leaders sharing personal experiences with the tagline -- When the going gets tough, get talking.
It celebrates the BOYS DO CRY campaign, which launched with a transformed version of The Cure’s iconic song, Boys Don’t Cry. The campaign is the brainchild of independent advertising agency The Hallway, produced in partnership with The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Mental Health, Heiress Films, Good Oil’s Tom Campbell, Uncanny Valley, Initiative and powered by UnLtd – raising funds for mental fitness foundation Gotcha4Life.
Next up is Greg Graham (Sparrow), founder The Nest Consultancy:
When was the last time you cried?
Recently at a Twitter/AANA/Advertising Week Engage event with Kurt Fearnley. Kurt’s personal stories particularly around crawling the Kokoda Trail were incredibly moving and emotional. Plus, I cry at a Disney movie so it doesn’t take much for me to tear up.
Tell us about your experience of traditional masculine stereotypes growing up.
I grew up on a farm in a small country NSW town called Wauchope. Sporting success was celebrated and being a strong bloke was expected. Showing your emotions was a sign of weakness plus my dad was an incredibly hard-working father of four boys however his family was quite religious so he was stoic and non-emotional.
What would you tell your 15-year-old self about opening up and showing your emotions?
Don’t sweat the small stuff and don’t worry about other people’s perceptions of you. However, at that age, you want to be liked, part of the crew, and not wear your heart on your sleeve. Now it’s more acceptable to be emotional and talk about some tough stuff like mental health, bullying, your weaknesses as well as your strengths.
What do you want for the next generation?
Just to be themselves, authentic and find your passions, love what you do and your family and friends. Be open and honest about the challenges of life and don’t always put on a brave face. I love how RUOK day is now 365 days of the year and talking about crying is normal, not brave or weak. This conversation should be applauded!
What do we, as a society, need to do to challenge views that men should always put on a brave front?
We need authentic role models who are vulnerable, empathetic, and honest about their emotional challenges. This is particularly powerful if they are sporting heroes, boxers, and tough guys who break stereotypes and show real emotional strength and honesty.
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