Government support for men: window dressing or real change?
In November 2024, the Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs), in Trinidad and Tobago, had the vision to establish a Men’s Bureau. This is certainly a vital platform for men’s voices and could complement the work of those who are championing the rights of males and helping create a better society. Indeed, the Bureau could certainly play a role in fostering a supportive environment for males who need help or feel marginalized.
The Bureau has four objectives, and the third and fourth of these objectives are “To offer tailored programmes that address mental health, employment, family life, and masculinity” and “To support national development goals by promoting gender equality and male empowerment.”
These are noteworthy objectives but a major question is how would these programmes be assessed and funded? For example, in the third objective, will masculinity be addressed as a strength or treated as if it’s a problem? Furthermore, the diverse culture and family life of men would need special efforts to deal with issues of single fathers coping to raise children and fathers who have disabilities. In the fourth objective, the topic of male empowerment needs to be properly defined. How could men who are marginalized or alienated and ex-prisoners be returned to mainstream society.
The achievement of gender equality is a noble gesture. However, if men demand equality they could be mocked. Men who demand their rights are often accused of being misogynistic or sexist. Some males who dare ask for respect of personal boundaries are often accused of trying to uphold patriarchy.
The creation of a Men’s Bureau in any country has a crucial role to help develop and guide a generation of future men of substance and calibre. These positive male role models will demand justice and protect the weak and vulnerable. We need all hands-on deck to deal with the epidemic of violence, inequality and other social problems.
In nearby Caribbean countries there have been efforts to have an official representation of men. For instance, in Jamaica there is the Special Service Desk for Men, located at the offices of the Bureau of Gender Affair. This special desk was established in 2016 and among its roles include “…parenting, health, education and the role of men in the elimination of violence against women, among others.” Interestingly, no mention is made of the elimination of violence against men. The past achievements of this Special Desk include “hosting of school sensitisation sessions, and community activities on domestic violence and other gender-related issues”
In Guyana, the Men Affairs Bureau was launched in 2011 to help males. Delivering the feature address at the launch was President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, who warned, “Even now, there’s so much pressure on our boys and not just in school but in society. I think there’s a big fear it’s leading to the ‘effeminisation’ of men…. If we don’t have that support we will succumb more and more to this process of ‘effeminisation’ of men.”
Whilst some are focusing on addressing men’s issues, we should ask is there sufficient financial resources in a Men’s Bureau or Men’s Department in a government agency to deal with issues affecting boys and male teenagers. Ideally, these new services should include connecting with boys and men in homes, schools, workplaces, communities, towns and villages.
Despite apparent shortcomings, credit must be given to the collaborations and great initiatives of the Men’s Bureau of Trinidad and Tobago, and the work being achieved in other Caribbean countries. The Men’s Bureau has to potential to expand and be that catalyst to allow all men to become proactive in addressing their mental, emotional and physical health. This self-awareness and care is important for our men to become holistic citizens capable of contributing to a better Caribbean.
Scroll down to join the discussion
Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, legal advice, or other professional opinion. Never disregard such advice because of this article or anything else you have read from the Centre for Male Psychology. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of, or are endorsed by, The Centre for Male Psychology, and we cannot be held responsible for these views. Read our full disclaimer here.
Like our articles?
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter and be first
to hear about news, events, and publications.
When a male is in a power imbalance, at least two masculine instincts are disempowered…
…people – men and women alike – respond less positively to male-favouring sex differences than they do to female-favouring sex differences.
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
Men might benefit greatly from a government strategy aimed at improving their health. Here are suggestions from the Centre for Male Psychology on how that might be done. This article ends with some comments on potential pitfalls in the process of putting this strategy in place.
…people – men and women alike – respond less positively to male-favouring sex differences than they do to female-favouring sex differences.
… many papers do not even bother to identify or justify the nationality of their samples…
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
There is social power, there is structural power, and there is physical power. What women have in our society is the power of the state behind them, and men do not. Men only have that physical power, and most men don’t want to use it
people are more aware of the fact men can be victims of this type of violence, but this often isn’t translated into policy, practice or indeed provision of resources
Therapists can work effectively with men experiencing distress without asking them to change. Telling them they are ‘doing masculinity wrong’ is judgemental and victim blaming.
people are more aware of the fact men can be victims of this type of violence, but this often isn’t translated into policy, practice or indeed provision of resources
people are more aware of the fact men can be victims of this type of violence, but this often isn’t translated into policy, practice or indeed provision of resources
Have you got something to say?
Check out our submissions page to find out how to write for us.
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
Much of our attitudes, theorizing and public debate around men and masculinity is influenced by high profile feminist and Gender Studies scholars in academia. But what is the scientific quality of publications from these scholars?
Some people blame drill music – a form of rap - for the rising murder rate in London. Drill is known for aggressive lyrics about gang violence, but rather than seeing this as a valuable way for young men to express their feelings, some people want to ban it.
To survive… cultures have to use men and women effectively and … in fact, most cultures have used men and women in different ways… what our culture does is [grant] greater status to men and greater protection to women
hyper-masculine gender norms are typically embedded within military institutions, and while adherence to these norms can contribute to combat and military success, they conversely make clinical work challenging
There are around 300,000 veterans living with hearing loss in the UK, according to The Royal British Legion. In addition to being at a greater risk of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, many vets are also battling psychological distress from hearing problems.
The book begins with a description of her therapeutic approach, and an illustration of how to understand and work with the rage often seen in male CSA clients.
I felt in my dealings with some police officers, as though I were treated firstly as a man (assumed to be a perpetrator), but they’d overlooked risks associated with my impairment. Example: How can you dodge a missile you don’t see coming?
The Panorama programme on domestic violence failed to adequately highlight two important issues: male victims and female perpetrators.
your photograph, name and address, might appear in the local and national press and on TV, insinuating what an evil monster you are
…an attack upon masculinity is an attack upon one’s sense of self, of identity. …What, then, is the right psychological defence against such an attack?
The male has been designed to “look”, not only at the female, but to “look out” for prey, for danger, and for ways to protect his family unit.
If his child is allowed to live, this man must be available, for the rest of his life, to love and provide for his child… If, on the other hand, it is decided that his child is to be destroyed, he should be able to go about his life as if nothing has happened
Socialising is a basic human need. The opposite – social isolation – is one of the worst forms of torture. Some people look down on the local pub as a place for undesirable riff raff, but that narrow viewpoint misses entirely the community value of the pub
Male psychology is a recent development in academia. Unlike gender studies, feminism, and men’s studies, male psychology takes the view that we can gain more by recognising and harnessing the positive aspects of masculinity than we can by taking a relentlessly negative approach to men.
.
Jerome Teelucksingh
Dr Jerome Teelucksingh is a Senior Lecturer in History at the University of the West Indies, specialising in the history of Afro-Caribbean intellectuals and activists, and author of several papers and books. His interests include masculinity, and he is recognised as having rejuvenated the floundering International Men’s Day in 1999, choosing November 19th in honour of his father's birthday, as well as initiating the World Day of the Boy Child (May 16th).