We Need To Talk About Masculinity

- All Posts - Agriculture Art Community events EasySRE Environment Film Making Health Heritage Other Participatory Podcasts Practice Publicity PV Social issues Social media Training Writing All

We Need To Talk About Masculinity is presented like a true-crime podcast for the EasySRE website. In the film a series of characters talk about an incident in school between Max and Sophie. We discover Max has been persuaded to ask Sophie out on a date. But when she rejected him, Sophie’s friends began spreading rumours. Spurred on by bad advice and skewed social media content, Max bombarded Sophie with texts and then confronted her, angrily. Luckily a teacher, Mr Timms, intervened. Max saw the error of his ways and the film ending showed Max and Sophie sharing their experiences to the film crew.

The key incident of the film and other people’s responses to it helps viewers think about and discuss healthy and ‘toxic’ masculinity. The film highlights the importance of communication, not bottling up emotion (especially when it comes to rejection and shame), emotional resilience, getting good advice from people you trust (and being aware that not everyone gives good advice), the careful use of social media, and respect for others and one’s self.

The film showcases the spiralling circumstances that can lead to verbal and physical harassment, physical and cyber-stalking. Importantly, it also shows that personal and group responsibility have a vital role to play in nurturing healthy masculinity. We watch how people around the two central characters – friends, teachers, older siblings, step-father – affect their decision-making and their actions.

“Great work! This will be a great resource to get our young people reflecting and talking about masculinity.” Kelly Adcock from Harmful Sexual Behaviour Team, Walsall Council.

“It bought tears to my eyes it really did.” Carol Harris from Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.

The film is a Catcher Media presentation for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust in partnership with Aldridge School in Walsall. It was devised with Aldridge School drama students. They all acted in the film, with some taking on behind-the-scenes roles.

Watch the full film VERY SOON on: www.easySRE.net