Men, Emotions, and Culture

Several male attendees mentioned that talking about their emotions did not occur in their family growing up.

• An attendee mentioned that having discussions about emotions and mental health with his family felt alien to him.
• An attendee added that his family was more attentive to his sister’s emotions over his.

When dealing with mental health issues an attendee felt like he had to navigate it by himself. This attendee went online to seek outlets and resources.

There were conversations about the unique experiences of being an Asian man:

• The fear of disappointment and pressure to succeed.
• The “Model Minority” myth invalidates their mental health struggles.

An attendee added how the perception of Muslim presenting men after 9/11 affected their entire life.

He felt like he had to be well-groomed at all times and couldn’t grow a full beard for fear of being targeted.

Attendees believed that discussions about racism and mental health should be discussed with young boys because they are more mature than we think, and can understand these types of topics.

An attendee also mentioned that he wished someone had that conversation with him when he was younger for preparation of what was to come.

Attendees experiences on the effect of lack of diversity in their workplace:

• Racial ‘jokes’.
• Not feeling supported by White admin after a complaint
• Paternalistic culture in health care.

Going forward

• People experiencing discrimination shouldn’t be the only ones trying to stop it.
• Don’t just do self-congratulatory diversity hires. Go into the discussion of the BIPOC experience.
• Don’t be defensive. Be open to the possibility that they are not attacking you but just trying to educate and raise awareness.