Spotlight Saturday: Men Edmonton

We are so pleased to present Men Edmonton, as written by Veronika Ilich

Men Edmonton

info@menedmonton.org | menedmonton.org | @MenEdmonton on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

ME - Men Edmonton was started in 2013 by several men working in the oil industry who were tired of the lack of engagement from male peers in important social issues that affect the community. Men Edmonton’s founders learned that the men they worked with were often unhappy, lacked meaningful relationships, and engaged in a lot of unhealthy behaviours associated with toxic masculinity-- and these men in Alberta’s oil industry are not the only ones. 

So, our founders began talking, listening, and learning about the current state of masculinity.  They met with folks in non-profits, government, and community groups, and their environmental scan revealed that men were viewed mostly as perpetrators of violence rather than as agents of positive change and that it was possible to improve this situation. After community consultations with those working in the field, it was established that no regular, ongoing work was being done through a strength based, peer based, gender transformative, stakeholder approach in the City of Edmonton to actively engage both men and boys in the prevention of violence against women (VAW). 

Men Edmonton formed in response to this gap: we want to end to all male-perpetrated violence, and displace anti-social, and unhealthy behaviours and attitudes stemming from the rigid social norms associated with culturally-dominant masculinities. Not only does this benefit men, but it benefits everyone around them. We do this work in collaboration and partnership with others through a variety of projects. To date, we have organized film screenings, developed program curriculum, contributed to research projects, facilitated educational sessions, events, and exhibits-- and more.  

Men can be leaders in ending gender-based violence, and together we will promote healthy masculinities & healthy relationships, empower men to recognize and speak out against violence, and encourage and support men in taking on positive roles in the community. We have a base of volunteers who not only work with us on our projects, but who have found support and friendship with one another to continue this transformative work in their daily lives. 

Currently, Men Edmonton has three ongoing projects: This Is What It Feels Like, Wolf Pack, and Men Behind the Mask. 

THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE

This Is What It Feels Like (or TIWIFL) is a travelling auditory art exhibit, created by California artist Terra Lopez, designed to draw awareness of, and start discussions about, the negative impact of street harassment and catcalling. With our partners, the City of Edmonton and Hollaback Alberta*, we have set up TIWIFL in several spots around Edmonton since 2017-- including the Whyte Ave Art Walk, the downtown farmer’s market, NAIT, MacEwan, U of A, and more! 

TIWIFL aims to shift public attitudes around street harassment and catcalling by simulating being on the receiving end of it. Participants enter a dimly lit booth with a pair of headphones and a mirror. After putting the headphones on, participants listen to voice recordings of objectifying and harassing comments, reproduced verbatim from a survey of people in Edmonton who have experienced it in their daily lives. The experience is open to everyone, however men are particularly encouraged to take part. The experience can be intense and may be triggering for some, thus staff and other support resources are available on site. The experience is open to those aged 18 and over, though we welcome conversations with people of all ages.

We love this project, and we always need more people to help run the exhibit, so please contact us if you’re interested in volunteering! 

 *The Alberta chapter of Hollaback has now closed.

WOLF PACK YEG

In 2018 Men Edmonton was offered an exciting opportunity to partner with Next Gen Men and bring their acclaimed Wolf Pack model to Edmonton. We have now been running Wolf Pack events monthly since July 2018!

Wolf Pack events revolve around a different topic each month-- in the past we have talked about dating, divorce, depression, family violence, fatherhood, friendships, and more. At each event, we typically have a few different speakers who share their stories, then there is time to discuss the topic in larger and smaller group settings. The events are casual, you do not need a formal invitation, and we generally hold them in spaces men naturally gather, such as pubs and coffee shops. 

The purpose of Wolf Pack is to hold space to engage men in conversations around gender to improve men’s health and wellbeing, reduce all forms of violence, and promote gender equity. We hope that in doing so we can create a community of men in Edmonton who will be leaders in ending gender-based violence, and that they will find support in one another to improve their own health and well-being. Wolf Pack events are monthly; all are welcome to attend. More information about Wolf Pack can be found on the Next Gen Men Website. If you’re interested in attending a Wolf Pack event, subscribe to Men Edmonton’s newsletter through our website, to Next Gen Men’s newsletter (through their website), or follow Men Edmonton on social media! 

If you have a venue, an idea for a speaker or topic, or something to donate as a door prize for an event, please contact us! We’d love to hear from you. 

The next Wolf Pack event is July 29th at Cartego! We’re talking about gender in the world of paid work. Check out the Facebook event page, and get your tickets on the Eventbrite page! Hope to see you there. 

MEN BEHIND THE MASK

This year we are launching a brand new project in collaboration with Variant Edition comics called Men Behind the Mask! This quarterly graphic novel club will meet at Variant Edition to discuss a new graphic novel each session, facilitated by some dedicated Men Edmonton volunteers. We want to dive into each novel’s messages about gender, power, and justice to encourage critical thought and reflection on how the media we love can shape our perspectives, thoughts and feelings about the world-- both in reality and in fiction*.

The launch is Sunday, July 7, 2019 at 6:00 pm at Variant Edition (10132 151 St NW Edmonton). We will be discussing Watchmen, by Alan Moore. If you haven’t read it yet, you will want to do so before the 7th! You can pick up a copy at Variant, or visit the Edmonton Public Library closest to you. No registration is required for the graphic novel club’s launch, just show up! 

 *Image from: https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/watchmen-rorschach-voice-e1530539182921.jpg

Conclusion

We know our work is important. Here’s a bit about social health, and individual men’s health. 

SOCIAL HEALTH

We believe that men and boys need to become leaders in the prevention of male-perpetrated violence as they are uniquely situated to influence their peers. Gender-based violence is a real and epidemic problem, and socially accepted notions of gender and gender inequality are at the root of it. We can work together to change this reality. 

Whether by participating in our events and initiatives, or helping us to plan them, we hope the people we can reach through our work will have an increased knowledge of gender-based violence and its various causes-- and see themselves as part of the solution. 

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH

We believe that all individuals have the ability to contribute to making Edmonton a safe and healthy city, and we strive to support them in doing so. Volunteering your time to contribute to a cause that you care about can have positive impacts on your health-- by decreasing depression, increasing feelings of well-being, and building social connections with other like-minded people. We hope that our work will result in healthier men, who have healthier relationships with others, and who make their communities better, safer places.

So to all the dudes here in Edmonton: do want to work on improving your own personal well-being while working to make your community safer and healthier? We are here for you! 

Connect with us → info@menedmonton.org | www.menedmonton.org | @MenEdmonton on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram