Gert Sibande College hosts dialogue for men in Standerton
A platform was established to talk about anger and that men are categorised as people who do not cry.
Andile Msibi, dialogue director, welcomes attendees at the men’s dialogue.
A group of men from Gert Sibande TVET College congregated at a guesthouse on Tuesday, May 31 for a dialogue.
Andile Msibi, dialogue director, did the welcoming and introduced the topics of conversation.
“We are hungry to discuss the things common to our experiences,” Msibi said.
“We hardly talk when going through different phases of our lives.”
He mentioned unemployment, gender-based violence, xenophobia as well as political distrust in leaders.
The brainstorming session included the role that money plays in everybody’s life and the need to identify culprits of GBV.
A platform was established to talk about anger and that men are categorised as people who do not cry.
Misbi commented that men are emotionally congested and opened the floor for conversation.
One speaker introduced humour into the dialogue when speaking about lying to win a woman’s favour and hiding your pay-slip from your wife.
Dr Vusi Msibi, a doctor from town, was the next speaker and pulled no punches about the way the health of men and women does not differ at all, except for the fact that men consult a doctor usually because of sex-related problems.
He said it could be connected to blood pressure, cholesterol levels or diabetes.
“Men can’t be seen as weaklings for fear of being ignored or laughed at,” he added.
He touched on depression and suicide and the need for society to be educated on mental challenges.
Prostate cancer was also discussed and the importance of regular check-ups at a physician.
Dr Msibi mentioned that the term gender-based violence is usually in the context of abuse incidents against women, while men can be victims too.
“Programmes are created for women, but not for men,” he also said.
“It is an important topic to engage on.”
The importance of support structures for men was agreed upon.
Dr Msibi also said men as a rule are not able, even in the company of close friends and family, to say ‘I need help’.
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