Guys want to open up and share their ideas on matters they not often talk about. These embody gender equality, issues shut to their coronary heart, and how the pandemic has affected them socially and emotionally, says Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) pupil Jonathan S. P. Alexander.
The millennial thinks his friends should strive to overcome the stigma connected to guys speaking about their emotions and asking for assist with their issues.
“There are many people within our community who have been going through loneliness. It has been very prevalent since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is essential to check on our friends. A simple ‘good morning’ text can mean so much to a person who’s going through a difficult time. Be observant; we all have a part to play to help each other,” mentioned third-year English Education undergraduate Alexander, one of many panellists at Malaysia’s first #globalguytalk webinar entitled “Pandemic Struggles and Guys in Silence” (Shared views of younger males in a college setting) held on Nov 27.
The webinar was organised by the Swedish Embassy in cooperation with the Swedish Institute and non-profit equality organisation Make Equal in collaboration with UTAR.
#Guytalk – first began by Swedish feminist and Make Equal founder Ida Ostensson in 2016 – encourages conversations on completely different themes about what it’s like to be a person, and it’s primarily based on the concept that the dialogue about gender equality additionally wants to be owned by males and boys, not solely by girls.
#Globalguytalk is an initiative by Make Equal which is now being unfold to the remainder of the world by the Swedish Institute.
Malaysia’s first #globalguytalk webinar was geared toward encouraging male college students and males to open up and talk about their emotions. — Embassy of Sweden Kuala Lumpur
Society guidelines that males ought to at all times be sturdy and assured and that boys have to be raised this fashion, failing which they would appear too “girly”. Men are typically discouraged from expressing their feelings or speaking about their issues.
Toxic masculinity – which occurs when males/boys are prevented from displaying their emotions – can lead to social awkwardness, bipolar dysfunction and despair.
The webinar aimed to encourage male college students and males to open up and begin conversations with one another that may affect attitudes and enhance gender equality. It additionally targeted on pandemic struggles and the way it has affected UTAR college students socially, emotionally and educationally.
Apart from Alexander, the opposite panellists have been college students Aiyub Han Ismail, Bennet Oon Wei Sharn, Derrick Tan Lin Kang and Titus David Rasahpandy. The college students are pursuing their basis, graduate and post-graduate research in UTAR’s Kampar campus in Perak.
Oon opined that there’s nothing fallacious with guys sharing their emotions about issues shut to their hearts.
“There’s a common stigma attached to guys opening up and talking about issues that bother them. There’s absolutely no harm in opening up. If you don’t try, you will never know. Don’t think everyone is going to laugh at you. Have faith and confidence in your friends.”
Alexander thinks it’s essential to decide the best folks to speak in confidence to.
“’Friends’ do not necessarily mean peers from the same age group. They can range from people in their 30s, 40s or 50s. What’s most important is one must be comfortable with the group and they must be willing to open up and share their success stories or failures,” he mentioned.
UTAR vice-president Prof Ts Dr Faidz Ab Rahman gave the welcome speech on the webinar, adopted by the opening handle by Sweden’s ambassador to Malaysia Dr Joachim Bergstrom.
Scania (South-East Asia) managing director Heba Eltarifi was the visitor speaker, with UTAR lecturer Lionel Keith Vytialingam serving because the moderator.
