The Issues

“We are living at an important and fruitful moment now, for it is clear to men that the images of adult manhood given by popular culture are worn out; a man can no longer depend on them. By the time a man is thirty-five, he knows that the images of the right man, the tough man, the true man, which he received in high school, do not work in life. Such a man is open to new visions of what a man is or could be”

- Robert Bly 

Contemporary culture’s definition of masculinity nurtures a particular danger – it traditionally promotes competition and aggression as characteristics to be psychologically integrated into oneself, in order to qualify as a true man.

This ideology is embedded within our current social settings and is not inherently productive nor does it contribute organically to an enhanced quality of life for men. More particularly, it heavily challenges young men who are typically at a developmental stage where identity is experimentally formed. Here, the passivity of young men and men in general to not challenge the negative representations hinders any improvements or progression as a society

Best Catch Australia recognises the need for the introduction of initiatives that focus on providing a safe environment for young men to freely and independently explore the values and characteristics they want to exhibit. This is achieved through acknowledging, valuing and celebrating the positive contributions they make to our local community.

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