Men's Week 2022

The Center for Campus Wellness would formally like to invite you to celebrate Men's Week 2022 with us! 

Men's Week is all about lifting the stories of men and masculine folks up within our community and embracing what it means to be a man without the pressures and expectations that society places onto us. The theme for this year's Men's Week is #BeingAMan. As opposed to the common, often demeaning, phrase “Be A Man”, the subverted phrase “being a man” does not connote a command or a demand for men to fit into a particular archetype or gender-based expectation. Rather, it communicates the reality that to exist as a man is often inclusive of a broad spectrum of “masculinities” and encourages and promotes all expressions of masculinity as valid.

One of our main goals this year for Men's Week is to create space to uplift diverse masculine identities, whether cisgender or transgender, of different sexualities, or of different racial, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds. Additionally, throughout this past week and during Men's Week, we will be hosting events that depict and discuss the realities of existing with a male identity in our social context, explore the privileges and consequences of such an identity, and support male-identifying individuals through their specific struggles.

Mental health is a key focus of Men's Week and during this week we hope to address high rates of male suicide (men are 4x more likely to die by suicide than women) and the issues of access for men regarding mental health services. Men are notably less likely to seek help and reach out for support which oftentimes leads to heightened emotions, prolonged mental health challenges, and “suffering in silence.”

Because of the struggles men face regarding mental health, talking about mental health struggles, and asking for support, we are hoping to create spaces to discuss emotional vulnerability and the social expectation of men regarding it, as well as deconstructing those expectations. In addition, we plan to raise awareness for the struggles of male identities across intersections, such as in the intersection of racial identity and masculinity (the social position of Black men, etc.), its intersection with transgender identity, or its intersection with religious identity.

Please join us during Men's Week to support men's mental health and share your experiences of #BeingAMan! 

Being a Man: Out Loud Display 

November 14th – 18th
Union Lobby

Come check out our exhibition in the Union Lobby displaying the community's' answers to several questions regarding men's mental health. The prompts will be kept on the table throughout the week so you can write your own responses while reading others!  

Barber Talks 

Wednesday, November 16th  
5:30-7:30pm in the Union East Ballroom  

This event for students is an opportunity to receive a free haircut while accessing mental health services that are available to students at the U. Haircuts will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis so arrive early to get in line! The event will also include an ongoing discussion on men's mental health, free mental health screenings from professional mental health therapists on campus. Food will also be provided! You must be a student at the U to receive a free haircut. 

Community Conversations with FSL 

Thursday, November 17th  
12:00-2:00pm in the FSL Office (Union 228)

Come join us and the Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life during the lunch hours to enjoy free food, door prizes, and conversations about the social norms that influence us. This is a drop-in event so please feel free to come by whenever during the hours of 12-2pm.