Healthy Masculinity Center

Healthy masculinity is at play when men overcome societal pressures and stereotypes, and shape their male behavior according to their own conscience and character, flexibly integrating between forms of "traditional" and "new" masculinity. Men’s emotional wellness is commonly an overlooked issue despite its importance for the men themselves, for their families, and their communities.

In a world of increasing gender equality and more female independence and selectivity, many men are confused by the question, "what makes a good man", or "how does one become one"? Between changing social expectations and growing opportunities to manifest one’s masculine identity, the confusion for many boys and men is prevalent and calls for awareness, empathic attention, and direction.

The “Healthy Masculinity Center" will promote the following goals through activities and partnerships within the worlds of leisure, art, business, therapy, and research:

- Create awareness and empathetic public discourse concerning the challenges and dilemmas that men experience in this period of unprecedented change in the relationship between men and women.

- Encourage men to invest in their emotional worlds, in their fathering ability, and in balancing between their lives at home and at work.

- Reduce attitudes of male superiority, sexism, and homophobia, which are known to be harmful to the quality of life of the men who hold them, and their social circles.

- Promote the value of gender equality by widening the discourse among men, and between men and women, concerning the advantages and challenges of gender equality in the life of communities and families. Given that most men want to share their life with a contented woman, and that most women seek a responsible and sensitive man partner, gender equality serves the interests of both sexes.

In light of deep social and economic changes that have taken place over the last fifty years, several central "traditional" male roles - such as protectors, breadwinners, and heads-of-family - have changed in many ways. Wars are more rare and personal safety has greatly increased; the global and technological nature of the labor markets has shaken the occupational stability that had characterized the lives of many men. In the domestic sphere, women today have the opportunity to fully realize themselves professionally, be economically independent, have children and create a family without men. These changes require men to reposition themselves - individually and with their environment - a task that is unclear to many.

Options for shaping the male identity have also broadened in recent decades. In light of more flexible perceptions of masculinity and femininity, and increasing gender equality, “traditional” masculine ideals - such as independence, rationality, competitiveness, mental resilience, aggressiveness, and heterosexuality - are being reconstructed. Living by these ideals may yield valuable benefits, but may, on the other hand, come with a heavy price that many men end up paying in the form of increased mental pressures, neglected health, emotional disconnection, the tendency toward addictions, and much loneliness.

In recent years, many men in Western societies are reporting the loss of a sense of purpose, meaning, and belonging. Between their changed status and the negative public discourse on men as a population, this experience can be understood. References to patriarchal privilege, men’s violence against women, or sexual abuse and harassment, dominate the discourse on the male sex. While all these phenomena exit and need attention, they do not apply to the many men whose lives are not privileged but are more closely characterized by the masculine ethos of loyalty to, and daily sacrifice for, their families, partners, and children.

Balancing traditional social expectations of men to provide and show resilience under pressure, with current expectations to be involved at home and in child raising or to be "emotionally connected", is a challenging exercise for men and women. However, this reality also opens new opportunities for men to construct a healthier emotional being. Flexible perceptions of gender roles moderate men’s need to prove successful and to be in control. Such flexibility about the "masculine" and "feminine", and deepening awareness of their emotional world, increase men's chances for meaningful and fulfilling relationships with partners, with their children, and with other men. Research finds this reality as predicting better mental health and longevity.

The gap between the needs of young and adult men to reposition themselves in a changing social reality, and the limited public interest and empathy to their dilemmas, is troubling. Some see it as a developing social problem that has not yet been recognized, but which requires empathetic public interest and attention. The “Healthy Masculinity Center" will endeavor to reduce this gap by promoting its vision and its goals.