Masculinity was the centre of attention during an evening of short films on Tuesday night.
The What Makes a Man? event included six short films and a debate about men’s issues.
Event organiser Gem Carmella said: “People say ‘there is no point, men have got everything.’ Well, only if you’re a certain kind of man.”
She added: “We think we’re quite free here. We’re not. If you’re a young lad growing up and you’re not demonstrating typical boy qualities, what are you?”
The programme of short films, shown at the Proud Archivist in De Beauvoir, was selected from over 1,000 submissions.
Dave Pickering, who was on the debate panel, said that society’s construction of masculinity is dangerous.
He said: “We need to talk about it, because it’s what is hurting men and … all genders.”
Zac Polanski, who was also on the panel and works with young people with mental heath problems, said the construct of masculinity was “complete nonsense”.
Michaelangelo’s David, image: Joe Hunt
