As a queer man, I've always struggled to align myself with masculinity. When I began to hear about men's mental health issues some years ago, I honestly thought I would not see myself represented in the heteronormative male issues being written about or exposed by actors and activists. I was very surprised to see and learn that many of my mental health challenges were in fact very similar to other men.
When Martin Fretwell asked me to join his summit on men's mental health, I honestly wanted to say no. Those of you that follow me may be surprised, as I often speak up about my struggles with mental wellness, depression, and anxiety. But, I felt like an imposter. Like I wasn't man enough to speak on the topic. That said, I made a commitment in January of 2020 to do the uncomfortable (and wow, how uncomfortable 2020 got...) I said yes, reluctantly and walked away from the conversation with more self-learnings and takeaways than probably the audience will.
I am so thankful that he asked me to be a part of this summit, and I am so excited to hear and learn from the others interviewed. This was such a step into the uncomfortable for me, but it also led to some much needed self-discovery.
