An open letter to our men

Society is the biggest culprit when it comes to frustrating men and villainising their feelings. This is not a new trend. In fact, our forefathers suffered this curse too. This is very unfair and highly unnecessary. According to a 2018 study by American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, there are 3.56 times more suicide cases in men than in women.

One would wonder what we really require our men to do. When they show no emotion we accuse them of being cold. And when they actually do, we accuse them of being skimps and too soft, claiming it’s unsightly. Well let me break it to you. Research has shown that every human being despite their gender deserve an equal opportunity to express themselves. Their feelings, emotions, hopes, dreams and expectations.

To every man out there, thank you for being a part of society. Thank you for getting up and showing up at a job that you possibly hate for the sake of your family. Thank you for picking yourself up after countless rejections from the daughters of our land and most likely the descendants of Jezebel.

Thank you for forgiving the harsh demands society puts on you. Thank you for getting in the shower and dressing in dignity to do so much for such little applause. Dear king you deserve the world. As a society it is our duty to make sure that the mental health of our members remains uncompromised. What can we do you ask?

We can start by letting men be themselves freely. We can stop the premature judgment we pass on them every second. We can support their hopes and dreams without inflicting the pain of unnecessary criticism on them. We can encourage our traumatised men to go for counseling and actually seek help for the demons they fight silently. Mental health is a pandemic on its own and should be taken with the seriousness it deserves. More so mental health in our men. It starts with you; it’s starts with me.