Men's Health Australia Media Watch Report 2011

In November 2007, Greg Andresen was contracted by Men’s Health SA (MHSA – at that time the South Australian Men’s Health Alliance – SAMHA) to conduct a one-day-a-week Media Watch role on behalf of SAMHA and its collaborative partners, the Men’s Health Information & Resource Centre at the University of Western Sydney (MHIRC) and the Australasian Men’s Health Forum (AMHF). In July 2010, a fourth collaborative partner came on board to support the project – The Men’s Advisory Network (MAN) from Western Australia.

The Media Watch role involved the critique, analysis and, when appropriate, challenging of mass media statements and commentary and other forms of institutional, academic and government literature and media that:

• depicted men or boys or masculinity in an unfair, negative or disparaging way
• were misleading, inaccurate, or prejudicial towards men and boys
• detracted from a general positive affirmation of men, boys, and masculinity
• undermined the endeavour to approach men and boy’s health and issues in an intelligent, respectful, positive, equitable and constructive way.

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Debating the issue of violence with the Australian Labor Party

This debate between Greg Andresen and Tanya Plibersek MP debunks some of the popular myths about violence, such as that women are significantly more likely than men to suffer violence in the home, and from persons known to them. It also exposes the hypocrisy of any government establishing Violence Against Women policies, when the vast majority of victims of violence are male.

Striking the balance

A discussion paper issued by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner that, unfortunately, propogates many of the old stereotypes and assumptions about the nature of work / family balance and gender. To read the final report, click here . For a reasoned rebuttal of many of the biases contained in the discussion paper, click here (PDF).

Boys' education - a submission to the Federal Government Inquiry

Dr Peter West addresses some of the issues in this submission.

INTRODUCTION

The Inquiry into the Education of Boys is welcomed. Clearly there are signs that the whole question of raising boys, their lives at school and in the workplace and the quality of their lives as adults concerns a wide range of people. The Committee would have had ample evidence of this concern from academics, schools, parents’ and community organisations.

There is evidence that concern is increasing as evidence mounts up about boys’ difficulties. The evidence ranges from a historically high suicide rate among young men (Fry et al.,1999) to declining motivation in, and performance of, boys in school leaving examinations. Despite the unfortunate lack of data from some governments, there is evidence that boys are overwhelmingly in the majority in school suspensions (Anon, 1999). We can readily agree with the assessment of John Head looking at related difficulties of young males in the United Kingdom (1999:4-9). Looking at the evidence which confronts us of so many young men suiciding, being suspended from school, in trouble on the streets and struggling to achieve at school, any sensible person would have to conclude that young males are in considerable difficulties. Not all young men, but sufficient young men to cause concern. The puzzle for future generations will be why it took governments so long to act.