Last week I flew to one of the two largest cities in Australia, and was paid four thousand dollars for speaking to their head office staff about Men's Health Week. This medium-sized company has a brand that's known to most people in Australia, with between 2-10 thousand staff across the country. My keynote address had the support of executive management and human resources.
Four of the slides that I spoke to are included in this article. Other topics included the dozen areas of disparities faced by men and boys, falling education outcomes for boys, negative media depictions of males during the last three decades, the far higher workplace fatalities and preventable deaths incurred by men, the impacts of AI, workplace legal protections that apply to both sexes, three reflection questions that I posed to the audience, along with clear recommendations to make workplaces healthy and safe for males…
In response, there were many excellent questions, observations, and comments made by the staff who attended. In particular, some of the mothers expressed their personal concern and love for their sons (who are boys and young men). I enjoyed the informal conversations prior to, and following, this event. There was no tension or animosity.
Inclusion means listening to all voices, which clearly extends to male customers and male workers, as well as to other male stakeholders. We can only make progress on embracing diversity, and acting with tolerance, by incorporating the perspectives of men and boys…
During the last seven months, there have been thirty positive developments for men and boys in Australia. Witnessing the business community embrace this healthy conversation is one of these advances. And there are many more constructive steps forward that we will take in the coming months...
David Maywald
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