Week 1: Introductions and your understanding of positive masculinities

[Blessing1]

Hi guys,
My name is Blessing Uwechia.
I work with Farm Radio International in Plateau State, Nigeria.

my understanding of positive masculinity is that men can be positive, responsible and consider their partners as a complement. They are supportive of their female counterpart, whether at home, workplace or in society. Rather than see them as competitors or less humans, they see them as complements and treat them as such from decision making at home, work and community. Positive masculinity look to men as advocates and champions of this human behavior towards their counterparts. If this is achieved, the world will be a better place.

[Betty]

Your right Patrick. Practical positive Masculinity is every one’s responsibility, I can imagine what a beautiful world it can be if we choose to rise and grow a generation of Men that use Thier energies and status to improve, support the status of women and girls in communities. N achieving this starts with u and I doing what we can in our personal spaces.

[Busi_Ngcebetsha]

Hello @MAYBIN @Blessing1 @Bintispark @Mamsul @Mailaprid @Angie @Kebby @Joseph90 @Dominic01 @Donjosh @Liche @thayobanda9

Welcome all, we are delighted to have you on board. I like the fact that someone said she knew nothing about positive masculinity but as the discussion started, she decided to read some articles and get a better understanding of what it is all about. This is one of the reason we have these discussions, they are educational and will also help our fellow broadcasters educate their listeners so that we may all be in a better and healthier environment.

The contributions are interesting, please also make sure you comment on other people’s posts. Let me quote a few points from the contributions:

@Joseph90

Is a situation where men use their physical, emotional, and strength to conqueror healthy behavior in communities.

@Dominic01

demands a re-examination of what it means to be a man—to redefine how the world envisions “masculinity.”

@Donjosh

“Positive Masculinity” in practical terms, means realizing that you can be strong and still be kind

@Pmphaka

Let us focus on what men need to do, how they should behave, how they can support. The journey starts now

@Liche

this is a situation when men and boys use their physical and emotional strength to develop, engage their communities for better societies with equal opportunities for both men and women’s

@Bintispark

In my opinion It means impartiality and an attempt not to limit oneself based on gender expectations.

@Angie

Positive Masculinity teaches men to express themselves and also have female friends also building self- reliance

@Kebby

men should come out and support wemen by giving them equal opportunity of decision making positions

@Mamsul

positive masculinity means when men accept to embrace women irrespective the Gender differences

@MAYBIN

positive masculinity is when people use their emotional and physical strength to challenge traditional norms and practices which undermine the progress of both men and women in society

@Blessing1

my understanding of positive masculinity is that men can be positive, responsible and consider their partners as a complement

[nachibbatuchipo85]

My names are Chipo Nachibbatu from vision community Radio Macha in zambia

Positive masculinitylies is when men use their physical and emotional strength to champion health behaviors and communities.

Positive musculninity is the anthesis of toxic masculinity.

The focus of positive musculninity is to help generation of men learn health behaviors and then develop more robust communities.

[Busi_Ngcebetsha]

Hello @nachibbatuchipo85

Welcome to the platform. We are glad you have joined us. I trust we will all learn from each other’s contributions.

Enjoy

[MAYBIN]

The pick by the facilitator, Busi from all the participants is very interesting though we had different definitions of positive masculinity but at the end of the day am seeing ourselves talking about one thing which is creating a society where both men and women have equal opportunities. This also calls for affirmative measures to ensure noone is disadvantaged or their rights are infringed upon.

[Eraston]

Am gwangwazu Eraston from voice of kalomo radio station in ZAMBIA southern province
Positive masculinity is were men understand that can not afford Alon without a women
Men should treat women as equal

[Joseph90]

Thanks for this discussion because I started to learn a different thought about it from different people who are looking for Gender equality

[Joseph90]

Sure, this behavior is one of primitive lifestyle which hindering the active Gender Equity to the society.

[Bintispark]

Absolutely Betty the journey starts now

[Angie]

Each society has its own way of behavior. Some cultures also contribute in the way males should and must behave. Like us the Luvale, Men are taught on how to behave in society and with the opposite sex. They can not do certain things just because they are male and the opposite sex is not expected to say or do anything to them just because they are male. So it will be vital to engage traditional leaders.

[Haggai]

hello everyone Haggai Sinkolongo, from Zambia, Mufulira District ( District Agriculture Information Officer in Ministry of Agriculture) for me my understanding about positive masculinities It means open-mindedness and an attempt not to limit oneself based on gender expectations.”

[Haggai]

you are very right culture is the major contributor to this

[Buzo]

Dear friends and colleagues! My name is Christian Chibuzo Maduka. I am the Networking Officer for Farm Radio International in Nigeria. I am a Farm Radio Broadcast-Journalist and Communications for Development Specialist. “Real men respect women”. This is an old saying that originated from Africa and that is my definition of positive masculinity. Real men who understand that gender equity and social inclusion is the new normal operate under the scope of positive masculinity. From the history of African tribes and communities, it has always been matrilineal in nature. Kindreds and communities were established in matrilineal structures. “Umu” in Igbo language of Nigeria means children. So we have communities bearing the names of their matriarchs. Umuofia, Umuaku, etc. That’s how communities are named. The narrative that brought negative masculinity is alien to Africa. African men from of old have positive masculinity where they allow women space in the affairs of life. Foreign religions and civilization brought negative masculinity where men began to marginalize women. In a typical Igbo community in Nigeria, Umuada - the daughters of the land and Inyomdi - the married women of the land have equal respect and regard in the decision making process of any community. Is the system still in place or had it changed? That’s why we are having this

[MAYBIN]

It must also be understood that not all our cultural practices and norms are bad or inhuman. Some of the practices help us to be identified otherwise as an African any person without cultural root is lost. For instance in my culture were regard all women as mothers and there’s a call to give them respect they deserve. However , the same women regarded as mothers are made to til the land which they cannot own legally as land rights remain in the hands of men. Now these are some of the things we need to begin to challenge

[Dave]

Salut (Hello). I’m David Chisanga Smith from Zambia, the news editor at Lima Radio. For me, positive masculinity means being comfortable in your own skin as a man; shading off the superiority complex or the stereotypes of manhood; and treating women as equal partners in development. It’s about seeing himself as a human being; a person with feelings and emotions in as much as he’s logical; a person who needs help in as much as he helps others; a person who needs building in as much as he builds others - a real man. Positive masculinity is altogether being the positive change you wanna see in society. Merci beaucoup!

[Francyn]

Hello,my name is Francine working with radio Maria chipata Zambia.

In my understanding,positive masculinity is when men use their physical and strength to impact good moral behaviors in society. Here,we see men who are appreciated in communities because of their behaviors not where by they are feared or want to be recognized for wrong reason.

[Buzo]

I am well convinced that positive masculinity is the key to sustainable global development. If men begin to imbibe the tenets of positive masculinity their socially and culturally constructed norms that have notched that negative sense of marginalization of women in their brain will begin to diminish and the women will begin to feel safe and secure in the space which hitherto have been occupied by men only. Positive masculinity goes beyond mere tokenism of allocating certain percentage of the space to women just to patronize the women, it will get to the point of actual inclusion and equity.

[Esau]

Hello everyone,
Am Esau Ng’umbi.
Working with Shamba Fm radio in iringa Tanzania.

Positive masculinity
It’s about displaying vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and moral courage.
It demands a re-examination of what it means to be a man—to redefine how the world envisions “masculinity.”

Re-thinking masculinity is a little bit like practicing positive psychology. We need to identify and highlight the positive qualities of masculinity to help show men how they should behave.

[somedshahadu]

@Pmphaka, this is a brilliant submission. It important to have a deeper conversation about what it means to be a man in this 21st century. Like you rightly pointed out, a lot of men are finding it difficult to live up to the popular ideals of masculinity, affected by the rapid changes in socio-economic and political changes that have occured in the past five decades.