Are men in crisis as so commonly stated? Or are we currently experiencing a transitionary period of society where gender roles have been challenged (Parks, Russo & Simon, 2021) and the ‘male providing role’ is no longer as necessary. Females have re-established their independence (rightly-so) and changed attitudes on career progression, deeming a man’s influence less of a requirement and seen more as a bonus. All of which points to the fact that it’s more important than ever for men to discover and embody their internal values, beliefs and authenticity, rather than buying into the programming and classical gender roles of previous generations where their ‘mancho’ traits, monetary influence or organisational status could entice a partner.
While women have developed their sense of belonging, men have gone the opposite way. Adaptation is required for the reality that the ‘care giver’ or ‘protector’ role isn’t deemed as necessary in our modern environment. Men are given messages from a young age to fear failing, to avoid dependence, and that vulnerability is a failure, the pain is then redirected into anger, shame, or blame (de Oliveira, 2026). Therefore, the environment is directing men to search deeply within themselves to establish their true values and identity, away from messaging and societal pressure.
This calls for a new era of men stepping into alignment with who they truly are, rather than what society has told them to be, which starts from a young age to prevent societal programming. Having the confidence to express their full emotional range, develop deep connections with men and women, have the initiative and accountability to open up about what they’re going through and seek support (whilst also having the right support provided), and leading with integrity.
Parks, G.W., Russo, D. & Simon, J. (2021) New media masculinities: How YouTube Influencers Incubate Masculine Ideologies and Mentor Males Through Gender Role Conflict/Stress. Rhetoric of Masculinity: Male Body Image, Media, and Gender Role/Stress Conflict, 14, (pp.287-305).
De Oliviera, B. (2026) Masculinity- a crisis of belonging? The British Pyschological Society. Available at: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/masculinity-crisis-belonging