The inaugural MR (mister) Walk on the Gold Coast, QLD
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 An event that aims to reverse some of the negative stereotypes associated with men, has garnered the support of the Gold Coast Titans, police and business leaders.
The initiative was sparked by Gold Coast Councillor Bob La Castra, following a question that was asked of four men, who were randomly selected from the audience of a seminar titled 'From Boys to Men'.
The question asked by the moderator was - 'can you tell me one thing that's good about being a man'?
"Not one of us could think of an answer. It's one of the few times I've been rendered speechless," says Cr La Castra.
According to the seminar's presenter, a respected authority on issues relating to men and boys in society, the lack of a response was 'usual'.
The presenter revealed that he had conducted surveys of primary school-aged girls on their perceptions of men. The responses included such statements as: 'men hurt people'; 'men are dangerous'; 'men kill people'; 'men rob banks'; 'men try to steal little children'.
"The children's responses are disturbing to say the least. When you factor in the everyday image portrayal of men, via the movie industry and the media, it shows that men have a serious, social image problem," says Cr La Castra.
"How often do we hear a news report saying, 'today, a woman was charged with armed robbery, murder, rape, or domestic violence'? These negative perceptions need to be addressed, not only for the good of society - but for the good of men."
As a result, Cr La Castra decided to organise an event - the Men Respect Walk, MR (mister) Walk - and approached managing director of the Gold Coast Titans Michael Searle, who took the concept to the NRL.