Welcome to our weekly Free Talk Friday thread! Feel free to discuss anything on your mind, issues you may be dealing with, how your week has been, cool new music or tv shows, school, work, sports, anything!

We will still have a few rules:

• All of the sidebar rules still apply.
• No gender politics. The exception is for people discussing their own personal issues that may be gendered in nature. We won't be too strict with this rule but just keep in mind the primary goal is to keep this thread no-pressure, supportive, fun, and a way for people to get to know each other better.
• Any other topic is allowed.

We have an active slack channel! It's like IRC but better. Please modmail us if you would like an invitation. As a reminder, take a look at our resources wiki if you need additional support as well.

Even if you aren't in a battleground state, please vote (preferably early) because every dollar they spend on ads in a "secure seat" is money they can't spend in a "battleground state." The League of Women Voters has wonderful non-partisan information on candidates as well as polling locations & times: https://www.lwv.org/elections/vote411

#Here's the study. It is nine pages!

A couple things that stood out to me:

6 in 10 Americans say people in the U.S. don’t place enough value on men who are caring or open about their emotions

There is space here for men to loosen it up! We've all been in places and times where we feel under the microscope for feeling too hard, but the trends there are good.

Despite seeing more progress for women than for men in the past two decades, most Americans (81%) don’t think the gains women have made in society have come at the expense of men.

This one surprised me; I thought there was more reactionary sentiment out there, though I guess 20% is nothing to sneeze at.

Roughly four-in-ten men (39%) say that, compared with 20 years ago, men are doing worse in getting well-paying jobs. Among women, only 21% say the same.

Maybe this is a trendline we can work on - a 2-to-1 difference is pretty significant.

Anyone else see interesting results?

In response to the Guardian article that came out about male CRSV (conflict-related sexual violence), I think it's worth shouting out https://allsurvivorsproject.org/ for their work in addressing male victims of sexual assault, specifically in conflict, and helping to bring it to the attention of the United Nations (yes they were also mentioned in the article).

What are some other organizations we can support and donate to help out boys and men specifically specifically whose problems are under-reported?

I think Bell Hooks is brilliant, and many of her points are timeless.

However, I want similar books that explore masculinity in a more up to date setting - especially with the massive rise in Internet pornography and toxic masculinity guru influencers.

Any recommendations?

Good day, everyone and welcome to our weekly mental health check-in thread! Feel free to comment below with how you are doing, as well as any coping skills and self-care strategies others can try! For information on mental health resources and support, feel free to consult our resources wiki (also located in the sidebar!) (IMPORTANT NOTE RE: THE RESOURCES WIKI: As Reddit is a global community, we hope our list of resources are diverse enough to better serve our community. As such, if you live in a country and/or geographic region that is NOT listed/represented but know of a local resource you feel would be beneficial, then please don't hesitate to let us know!)

Remember, you are human, it's OK to not be OK. Life can be very difficult and there's no how-to guide for any of this. Try to be kind to yourself and remember that people need people. No one is a lone island and you need not struggle alone. Remember to practice self-care and alone time as well. You can't pour from an empty cup and your life is worth it.

Take a moment to check in with a loved one, friend, or acquaintance. Ask them how they're doing, ask them about their mental health. Keep in mind that while we may not all be mentally ill, we all have mental health.

If you find yourself in particular struggling to go on, please take a moment to read and reflect on this poem.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This mental health check-in thread is NOT a substitute for real-world professional help/support. MensLib is NOT a mental health support sub, and we are NOT professionals! This space solely exists to hold space for the community and help keep each other accountable.

I just watched this documentary and I think it plays very strongly into MensLib. Addressing loneliness and depression. As well as creating spaces to share ideas and organize politically.

The documentary focuses on the work of Robert Putnam. Who's research highlights America’s social disintegration, showing how the decline in civic engagement contributes to issues like loneliness, depression, and political disengagement. His influential work, particularly in Bowling Alone (2000), documents a long-term drop in community involvement across the U.S., from neighborhood associations to local clubs, which he links to worsening social isolation and reduced trust in democratic processes. This civic unraveling is also associated with poorer mental health outcomes, as studies show that social isolation can lead to depression, anxiety, and increased health risks.

Putnam’s recent book, The Upswing (2020), offers a historical perspective, examining how America once rebuilt its civic life in the early 20th century. He suggests that a similar revival could be possible today if individuals and communities actively work to strengthen social bonds and increase community involvement, which are key to addressing both personal and political challenges.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt26081864/

https://youtu.be/FsztuzyXdhY?si=2YH64x_r9g_ON15c

I hope this is okay once post. I'm a woman, but I'm utterly astounded by this interview.
As someone who has dealt with abuse, I think is perspectives is fascinating and his view on how men relate to eachother is so important.

Please watch the whole thing because it is worth it.

Welcome to our weekly Free Talk Friday thread! Feel free to discuss anything on your mind, issues you may be dealing with, how your week has been, cool new music or tv shows, school, work, sports, anything!

We will still have a few rules:

• All of the sidebar rules still apply.
• No gender politics. The exception is for people discussing their own personal issues that may be gendered in nature. We won't be too strict with this rule but just keep in mind the primary goal is to keep this thread no-pressure, supportive, fun, and a way for people to get to know each other better.
• Any other topic is allowed.

We have an active slack channel! It's like IRC but better. Please modmail us if you would like an invitation. As a reminder, take a look at our resources wiki if you need additional support as well.

Good day, everyone and welcome to our weekly mental health check-in thread! Feel free to comment below with how you are doing, as well as any coping skills and self-care strategies others can try! For information on mental health resources and support, feel free to consult our resources wiki (also located in the sidebar!) (IMPORTANT NOTE RE: THE RESOURCES WIKI: As Reddit is a global community, we hope our list of resources are diverse enough to better serve our community. As such, if you live in a country and/or geographic region that is NOT listed/represented but know of a local resource you feel would be beneficial, then please don't hesitate to let us know!)

Remember, you are human, it's OK to not be OK. Life can be very difficult and there's no how-to guide for any of this. Try to be kind to yourself and remember that people need people. No one is a lone island and you need not struggle alone. Remember to practice self-care and alone time as well. You can't pour from an empty cup and your life is worth it.

Take a moment to check in with a loved one, friend, or acquaintance. Ask them how they're doing, ask them about their mental health. Keep in mind that while we may not all be mentally ill, we all have mental health.

If you find yourself in particular struggling to go on, please take a moment to read and reflect on this poem.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This mental health check-in thread is NOT a substitute for real-world professional help/support. MensLib is NOT a mental health support sub, and we are NOT professionals! This space solely exists to hold space for the community and help keep each other accountable.

Welcome to our weekly Free Talk Friday thread! Feel free to discuss anything on your mind, issues you may be dealing with, how your week has been, cool new music or tv shows, school, work, sports, anything!

We will still have a few rules:

• All of the sidebar rules still apply.
• No gender politics. The exception is for people discussing their own personal issues that may be gendered in nature. We won't be too strict with this rule but just keep in mind the primary goal is to keep this thread no-pressure, supportive, fun, and a way for people to get to know each other better.
• Any other topic is allowed.

We have an active slack channel! It's like IRC but better. Please modmail us if you would like an invitation. As a reminder, take a look at our resources wiki if you need additional support as well.

Good day, everyone and welcome to our weekly mental health check-in thread! Feel free to comment below with how you are doing, as well as any coping skills and self-care strategies others can try! For information on mental health resources and support, feel free to consult our resources wiki (also located in the sidebar!) (IMPORTANT NOTE RE: THE RESOURCES WIKI: As Reddit is a global community, we hope our list of resources are diverse enough to better serve our community. As such, if you live in a country and/or geographic region that is NOT listed/represented but know of a local resource you feel would be beneficial, then please don't hesitate to let us know!)

Remember, you are human, it's OK to not be OK. Life can be very difficult and there's no how-to guide for any of this. Try to be kind to yourself and remember that people need people. No one is a lone island and you need not struggle alone. Remember to practice self-care and alone time as well. You can't pour from an empty cup and your life is worth it.

Take a moment to check in with a loved one, friend, or acquaintance. Ask them how they're doing, ask them about their mental health. Keep in mind that while we may not all be mentally ill, we all have mental health.

If you find yourself in particular struggling to go on, please take a moment to read and reflect on this poem.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This mental health check-in thread is NOT a substitute for real-world professional help/support. MensLib is NOT a mental health support sub, and we are NOT professionals! This space solely exists to hold space for the community and help keep each other accountable.