Boys Do Cry

Mental health problems (e.g. depression, anxiety and drug use) are one of the main causes of the overall disease burden in the world. In the UK, 84 men commit suicide every week, rising to 123 per day in the US. In Australia, men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women, and it is estimated that there are approximately 65,300 suicide attempts each year. As much as women have been disfigured by the patriarchy, men have too. From birth, boys are given a very disempowering view of what it means to be a real man, told to 'man up', that 'boys don't cry', their tenderness and empathy shamed out of them and replaced with a tough, armoured exterior. They learn that women are objects, machismo and misogyny becoming a badge of honour in a world that otherwise leaves them feeling lost, disconnected and unsure of who they're meant to be. They learn to fight for survival, that success and power are everything, and without them, they're nothing. As a result, men have suffered, suppressing their emotions and only learning unhealthy expressions of anger, often manifesting as anxiety, depression, addiction and violence towards other men, women and - ultimately - themselves. In Boys Do Cry, 12 men bare their souls, expose their wounds, and share their breakdown-breakthrough moments to change the narrative around masculinity and inspire men of all ages to step into the man they deeply desire to be. Clear your mind, open your heart, and get ready to go on a journey of truth and vulnerability as we redefine what it means to be a man.