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How about breaking down prejudices about masculinity this month?

"Be a man! Be strong. Boys don't cry. Don't be scared. Protect yourself. [...] Go out with girls. Make the first move. Be aggressive. Suppress your emotions. Swallow them. Bury them. Move on." With these words, Berlin photographer Marius Sperlich begins his meaningful denunciation of prejudices about men's mental health. These injunctions to a virilistic - and, let's face it, toxic - masculinity, not only for the men themselves but also for those around them, probably sound familiar to you. That's right: gender stereotypes die hard (much to our displeasure). So what impact do they have on our mental health? That's the question Nightline will try to answer throughout the month of November.

En novembre, on parle santé mentale & masculinités

Why are we talking about masculinities in November?

Did you know that, although ⅔ of those hospitalised following a suicide attempt are women, 75% of those who actually die by suicide are men? We bet you didn't know that: not because you're uneducated or particularly uninformed, just because no one talks about it. Men's mental health is a taboo subject: it is believed that all men are strong, manly, do not cry, and are never afraid —- because "that's girly".

Well, fun fact: you'd be surprised to learn that men have a mental health, too! They can suffer from anxiety, eating disorders, depression, they can cry and even —- brace yourself —- ask for help. The major problem is that they don't: indeed, while they account for ¾ of deaths by suicide, very few actually dare to seek psychological help. This is largely due to the fact that, in our Western society, while mental health in general is not a subject that is easily addressed, men's mental health is clearly the elephant in the room that we have been taught to ignore.

But, as you know, at Nightline we like to break down the taboos that persist around mental health. That's why we chose the month of November, traditionally dedicated to men's health (Movember, have you heard of it?) to tackle the stereotypes that prevent guys from honestly and unashamedly expressing how they feel and taking care of their mental health.

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Une publication partagée par Nightline Talks (@nightlinetalks)

A curated playlist curated just for you

As always, the Nightline team has put together a playlist for you in connection with our monthly theme. Feel free to suggest your own songs if this theme inspires you.

Talking about masculinities with students

In our "Cliché/Not Cliché" format this month, we give the floor to two students who react to clichés on the topic of "Masculinities & Mental Health". The episode is up, so don't miss it and subscribe to our Instagram account @nightlinetalks!

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Une publication partagée par Nightline Talks (@nightlinetalks)

Decoding the taboos around the theme "Mental Health & Masculinities" with mental health experts

In our two formats "Psy Q&A" and "Guess What", we look at the stereotypes linked to different masculinities and their impact on mental health.

Guess What?

Camille, doctor of psychology at Nightline, Sabrina, from the association Dites Je Suis Là, and Théo, a student at the Cours Florent, play a frenzied game of Guess What? inspired by the famous Time's Up. Together, our speakers try to guess words related to our theme of the month and share their thoughts, experiences and expertise on the issue.

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Une publication partagée par Nightline Talks (@nightlinetalks)

PSY Q&A

Eléonore, doctor of psychology at Nightline, answers questions from the Nightline Talks community on the theme of masculinities. The episode will be up soon, so stay tuned!