By Janet Adeyemo

Who is a man? He is a human male.

What is a man? A man is that character who is portrayed to be bold, strong, brave, audacious, multitasking, strong-willed etc. A man never cries. He is trained to run from help, for it is believed that only weaklings seek help.

Advocates for men’s right are often considered misogynistic persons, working against the voice of the female.

Cassie Jaye, a documentary filmmaker, speaking on her documentary about the Men’s Right Movement spoke on the need to be open minded in handling matters of controversy. In as much as you have your stand on a particular discuss, you shouldn’t play deaf to the testimonies of your contradicter. Being open-minded births the acquisition of knowledge.

A Men’s Right Activist, may say “What should be done to a man who was falsely accused of rape. Who was trialed and found guilty, only for him to be released from prison three years later, being found innocent?” The society will imply the statement to mean, “Rape isn’t a big deal, why should a man pass through such hardship for a condemnable act?” The truth is that majority won’t pay attention to the keywords, “falsely accused”.

The male gender has been suppressed and sentenced to silence. In as much as we must not underestimate the fact that there are men perpetrating mischiefs, we shouldn’t ignore the voice in the wilderness seeking justice.

We pay little or no attention to the trauma faced by men, if anyone deems it right to advocate for the male gender, very few men will come out strong to cry out, because our environment has taught the male gender to be scared of help, they are not “weak vessels”.

We are the society.  The society that shuts the voice of a man who is traumatized. Consider this, it is shame for a husband to cry that he is beaten by his wife.

In as much as it is appealing to build the man, right from cradle, to be strong-willed. Do not train him to zip his lips when he dies from within. Never tell him “man up!” Never tell him, “be a man!” What do you mean by that, he was never a man?

Dear men, cry when you need to cry, have a bosom friend on whose shoulders you can lean on when the work load is too heavy.

Don’t “man up! “Just as your counterpart have inequalities they are fighting.  I know this is your cross, to be judged before you speak. Fight against it.