You know Zach Bryan? The guy who wrote that devo as song, “Something in the Orange”? Yeah he can go fuck himself.
As a bloke, it’s easy to pretend everythings going to be okay, knowing that you have to be the one to keep it together for the sake of everything. Being the oldest son, you have to understand that you’re the one that your younger siblings are going to look to for guidance, support and uplifting stories about how you fucked up and they’re going to be the change. Being a partner, you need to be okay with taking the hits.
These are all things I’m okay with. I’m alright with hiding my emotions (though there was a time where I didn’t), and making sure you only see what I want you to see. Without lying, I lead with my heart always. This means that when I believe in something, I’ll put my all into it. That includes being the person that can take a hit, understand the words being thrown as ammunition at you. Sometimes, I fire back without thinking and that’s not okay. It’s all about knowing your worth, but knowing what you deserve is just as important.
Since coming on as editor, the idea of a men’s issue has always sat in my brain. I understand the connotations that come with it, the comments that I’m sure will be made. It’s a difficult topic that no one REALLY wants to talk about–but we kind of have too. There’s an unspoken heaviness that plagues kōrero surrounding being a man, this sort of difficulty to process the need for equality. Don’t take this is as a ‘woe is me, I’m a man and I’m struggling too’
I’m a man and I’m struggling as well.
Contrary to popular belief. I don’t struggle with mental health like that. It’s easy to get caught in the undertow of “everyone has depression, so do I”. You can certainly feel depression as an emotion, but suffering with the illness is a little different. Reach out, talk to people, and make sure you’re heard. We need to be able to kōrero about the shit that matters without feeling guilt or hanging our heads in shame. You’re allowed to feel sad, depressed and angry. You’re also allowed to be happy, excited and joyous in the presence of those who don’t. You can do whatever the fuck you want.
We wanted to lay our hearts out to dry for you all but none of us really had the energy. So instead, here’s a collection of random shit that has hints of men’s mental health, men in the media, and just m(k)en.
This one’s for you my bro, will have an inu with you soon.
