Friday 18-11-2022 - 09:00

I’ve thought about it more than once but I’ve never quite been able to come up with an answer. Is it a way of somehow implying that men can only be themselves if they act a certain way? Is it implying that women can only be strong if they act more masculine? Either way, what’s clear is that the phrase can be damaging in a lot of different ways to a lot of different people.

 

Man up is by no means a modern phenomenon. The phrase has been used throughout history, from its Victorian origins, all the way through into the twenty-first century. Victorian public schoolboys were supposed to be seen as strong, social and athletic, but would never be expected to speak about their feelings.

 

What we need to ask ourselves is, do out-dated nineteenth century ideals have a place in modern and progressive society? 

 

For those reading this thinking, is this really an issue worth spending time on, outdated narratives of how we view the world around us can have a huge impact on how we view ourselves. 

 

For example, in the 21st century, there are often unrealistic expectations placed on what the ideal male body should look like. This has had some seriously damaging effects on the mental health of men across the UK. According to a survey by Better, 54% of men show signs of body dysmorphia. That’s over half of men are feeling like their body isn’t okay and doesn’t look how it should do. 

 

Think about it: if we live in a society that tells men not to speak up when they are feeling like this, the issues will only grow and exaggerate over time. 

 

So how are we supposed to get the right support? I know from personal experience how difficult living with body dysmorphia can be. It’s like finally being comfortable with the thing you really wanted to fix, but then just finding something else which you’re now unhappy with. The cycle is never ending.

 

The Crux of the Issue 

Being someone who identifies as male, I know first-hand how much pressure is put upon men to act a certain way: to talk a certain way; to surround yourself with a largely male demographic. 

 

However, this isn’t the case for everyone. “Manhood” is not a one size fits all situation. I am not the most stereotypically masculine person you will ever meet.; Most of my friendship circle are female, and I absolutely love RuPaul’s Drag Race, but none of that makes me any less of a man.

And thinking about it logically, why should it? 

 

I might cry now and again and let my emotions show, and as far as I’m aware, being told to man up would only devalue my feelings and make me feel like I haven’t really got any support around me.

 

When you’ve got people like Piers Morgan in the media limelight saying that 34 million UK adults being mentally ill is utter nonsense and they should just man up, it shows there’s a lot of work to be done. We need to start questioning what that means, and challenging that kind of language.

 

Anyone with a platform spreading views like this can make people feel like they will be judged and looked down upon for expressing concerns regarding their own mental health, so collectively it is all of our responsibility to challenge those narratives when we see them.

 

Support for men's mental health

 

There are many UK-based organisations and charities that are doing great work breaking down t what terms like man up actually mean in relation to mental health. 

 

MANUP? is a UK charity whose main aim is to challenge the term man up and shout about how men shouldn’t have to just brush themselves off and “get on with it”. They work with schools and businesses, as well as the NHS to help break down the stigma associated with male mental health.

 

If you’re struggling, please don't hesitate to reach out to somebody. The University wellbeing team is on hand to help you. If you'd like to speak to somebody about your mental health, book an appointment with the team here. 

 

This article was contributed by Arts & Sciences President Jack Richardson.