The State of Men

Mike and Aydian discuss why men only comprise one-third of all people who go to therapy. Is it that men don’t want help? Many men equate getting help with weakness and do not seek out mental health professionals. Has society imposed expectations on men that don’t encourage men to get help?

Top Take-Aways: 
  • Many men equate getting help with weakness and do not seek out mental health professionals.
  • Men tend to rely on their romantic partners for emotional needs while women have separate friend relationships they also discuss stress and mental health in addition to their romantic partners.
  • Therapy began as an intervention for women tied to ill-conceived notions of being hysterical and it has taken a long time for therapy to catch up with treating the male population.

What is The State of Men?

The State of Men is hosted by two Elder Millennial work-from-home-Dads, Mike Watts (cis man) and Aydian Dowling (trans man).

A funny and real-life approach to being Men in the 2020s The State of Men is taking a deep dive into masculinity to talk about what we do, and why we do it.

We believe a better future for our world is in part the responsibility of the Men in it. We invite all men to do the work and fix their shit, so we can leave a legacy we are proud of.

Societally, men have been brainwashed into a narrow view of masculinity through which they can't see their full potential. Gender norms are changing, the glass ceiling is shattered, and home life has been reinvented. So what does it mean to be a man in this new world?

The State of Men is a funny, honest, real-world look at the stigmas that exist around men.

The truth is men want to fix their shit, but where do we even start.