A UK Campaign.

http://www.checkemlads.com

The issue of men’s health comes back to feeling vulnerable [not about health but vulnerable in relation to other men]. Men don’t want to go to a GP about the pain in their balls (or whatever issue) because of the fear of approprium from other men or that they will be (taking James Connolly’s phrase from 1916) “unmanned”. Connolly’s point stands today: men particularly fear the risk of a caesura in their lives if illness/ disease robs them of their identity as a worker, father, lover, etc. This ‘fear’ (if we label it) is quite complex. In my own case, my relationship with my body has been quite challenged through illness. I recall seeing another man in hospital (who’d just had a heart attack) continuing his business meetings over the mobile phone and postponing meetings for a ‘couple of days’). At the time, I remember raving to a consultant how I had to get back to college and teaching work… why? Because I had heavily invested in that ‘identity’ and somehow the world might end if I didn’t make the tutorials. It is crucial to undo this conditioning, as the South East Men’s Network advocates.

While some men retreat into jokes about health/ balls, etc., how and when men *do* got to the doctor, however, is more complex than either most men realise and – most certainly – most health professionals allow for in their pronouncements about men’s health. The utter mistake that health professionals/promotional strategies make (speaking as a sociologist and former marketing consultant [thar's hegemonic masculinity for yah!]) is that men’s health is made into ‘manly tasks’ (concern with balls, prostates, penis] rather than concern with ‘care of the self’. It seems to me (from what little I know) Sabrina is advocating the latter approach, and demanding medical services that would allow people to be care-ful.

Maybe I will do something about this, like I have done on various issues before. It has mostly involved making contact with local td’s etc. by way of phone calls, letters or emails. That’s the only way I know how.

We all do things in different ways, and I really don’t appreciate being told to look at my kitchen table to find the next men’s campaign. Maybe I’ve already expressed my concerns to elected representatives. Maybe I tried to encourage people to elect an alternative government last time round. Maybe, maybe.

So, again – well done on the beginning of this campaign and I hope you get the volunteers and resources you need to get a dedicated team together to push forward with your goals for 2008. I’ll even Paypal you a donation later on as well.

All the best

Alan

“It’s a worthy cause but where’s the same focus on men’s issues. We have two balls and a vote as well.”

I can’t answer that question. I can tell you that the focus on this woman’s health issue came from discussions with a few friends, a lot of planning at my kitchen table, the bottom of my microscopic bank balance, 40 hours of building and coding, and 24 hours of virtually non-stop media relations.

In other words, it came from my own initiative. I’m not a political lobby organisation or a funded women’s action group. I’m just an individual who got tired of what I was seeing and reading and elected to DO SOMETHING.

So where’s the parallel men’s campaign? No idea. Look on your kitchen table and maybe you’ll find it there. I’ll be happy to buy your first postcard!

Given the ballsy (excuse the pun) name of the campaign “two tits and vote”, just because a guy comes back and says “two balls and a vote” doesn’t require psychoanalysis of the male condition. Some of the previous comments on this post are quite patronising towards men.

Yes, I’ll sign the campaign – I’m as concerned about the state of the health services in this country as anyone else. I’m also not “neanderthal man” so beloved of media and marketing folk, and understand that health service improvements for one gender means improvements for all.

I really want to launch into a tirade about a population that voted this government back into power but I won’t…

You hit the nail on the head here Maman Poulet! The men in my life would have to be on their last leg before going to a doctor. The husband had a horrible cough for over six months before he finally went in. All kinds of specialists, awful diagnosis, everyone kept telling him if he’d come in when it started there would never have been a problem.

Same with my Dad, history of bowel cancer in the family, blood in his stool, does he go to the doctor? No.

If the statistics are as that commenter says I wander if mens lack of care (or perhaps maybe it’s inherent fear at the possible outcome) about their health is directly proportionate to greater risk of death.

Having said all that, I think women can be a bit of the same. It’s human nature to try and pretend the problem isn’t there and to hope it will go away. I waited almost a month before seeing someone about the bleeding. I feel bad about that, but I honestly thought for awhile there it would go away. Turns out I still would be getting seen about now. Horrible.

But I digress. Great posts as usuals – excellent points!

You’re sick and tired of eejits.