May Student and Staff Spotlight
Women’s Center Spotlight: Mindful Masculinity Campaign
This month, the Women’s Center would like to highlight the work and leadership of the students and staff involved in the Mindful Masculinity Campaign. Led by Women’s Center Intern, Peter Rives, eight male students embarked on a journey to uncover their relationship with masculinity and reevaluate their understanding of what it means to be a man. According to one participant, “This group will give you the words and support to be whatever man you want, however you want.”
Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and welcoming new perspectives proved to be a challenge for participants in their weekly group discussions, but they were all influenced to think deeper about the messages and actions regarding masculinity surrounding them. One participant stated, “I think everyone at Wake, men and women, should participate in some respect with activities regarding masculinity.” The program benefited the participants immensely, and they all hope to continue this work on campus and see the campaign grow and evolve in the coming years. They hope to expand the program and make it more intersectional and potentially included in orientation seminars.
An interview with the Women’s Center Assistant Director, Erin Adamson, Peter Rives, and a student participant, featured a wonderful conversation on the impact of the weekly meetings and the significant lessons learned throughout the program. One of the student’s favorite topics they discussed was the notion of men feeling like they’ve been put into a box due to societal expectations about what makes a man manly or masculine, and he has grown from these conversations because he has learned the importance of authenticity and feeling safe to be his true self. He and the other participants understand that it will be difficult to spread this message, but they are hopeful that they can continue these conversations and help people learn about issues related to masculinity.
Peter Rives also designed a workshop and presented it to eighty-one fraternity members about healthy masculinity. For more information about the Mindful Masculinity Campaign and ways to get involved, click here!