Understanding masculinities
(22nd-25th june)
A 4-day course on 'Understanding Masculinities',
An analysis of rights, choices, issues of patriarchy and violence
jointly organized by MenEngage Delhi and Centre For Health and Social Justice.
An analysis of rights, choices, issues of patriarchy and violence
jointly organized by MenEngage Delhi and Centre For Health and Social Justice.
In Delhi a 4 day long course on masculinities named – Understanding Masculinities” was being conducted by MenEngage Delhi in collaboration with Centre for Health and Social Justice. The range of topics was expanded from scrutinizing the portrayal of masculinity in
media to exploring one’s own manifestation of masculinity. The 4 days were divided into 16 different sessions focusing on a whole gamut of issues emerge due to the practice of aggressive masculinity and also the factor influencing the construction of masculinity.
A diverse group of 25 participants from different fields such as development professionals, health experts, youth activists and feminist’s activists completed the 4 days in the quest of having a deeper understanding of various layers of masculinity. The course helped participants in exploring masculinities with the tools of different and often multiple disciplines, the ‘Understanding Masculinities’ course helped the participants understand how knowledge and values take different forms depending on a variety of social variables. In this course, participants learned how to use masculinity as a category of analysis, and also reflect on the manifestations of masculinities in their own lives, leading to a range of personal and intellectual discoveries.
MenEngage Delhi is glad to have various experts coming on board with this small endeavour to share their expertise on the issue. Experts from various organisations and networks visited Centre for Health and Social Justice’s conference hall to share their views in order to widen the understanding of the participants. Day 1 of the course experienced, sharing of knowledge from renowned youth activist and queer rights activist and also the founding member of Nazariya (a queer resource centre) – Rituparna Borah. Who discussed the concepts of equality and equity with reference to gender based discrimination. Day 2, as planned explored the issue with deeper understanding of socialisation process that propagates and promotes the idea of aggressive masculinity during an individual’s life cycle. The much complicated concept of socialisation was explained by another Delhi based activist- Prabhleen Tuteja from Jagori. Day 3 went further into scrutinizing this phenomenon with discussion being held on diverse and much deeply rooted settings and branches of social interactions, such as – Religion, Family, Khap Panchayat, Education, Friends and Market. These sessions were designed in a fashion to make participants equipped with the understanding of the methods and patterns that are generally used in such social interactions to promote the idea of aggressive or rather destructive masculinity. MenEngage Delhi had the privilege to have Logna Bezbaruah from Sangat South Asia as a resource person for one of the sessions. Whereas Day 4, saw a deeper discussion on media and portrayal of masculinity facilitated by Jaya Velankar, another renowned feminist and development practitioner.
The objective of this 4 day course which was to increase understanding on masculinities, construction of masculinities and its relation with violence and also exploration of one’s own manifestation of masculinities and to able to make a plan of action was fulfilled to a large extent. As towards the end the participants starting to notice a slight shift in their perception and realised that there is a need to prepare an individual plan of action to alter their own manifestation of masculinity.
media to exploring one’s own manifestation of masculinity. The 4 days were divided into 16 different sessions focusing on a whole gamut of issues emerge due to the practice of aggressive masculinity and also the factor influencing the construction of masculinity.
A diverse group of 25 participants from different fields such as development professionals, health experts, youth activists and feminist’s activists completed the 4 days in the quest of having a deeper understanding of various layers of masculinity. The course helped participants in exploring masculinities with the tools of different and often multiple disciplines, the ‘Understanding Masculinities’ course helped the participants understand how knowledge and values take different forms depending on a variety of social variables. In this course, participants learned how to use masculinity as a category of analysis, and also reflect on the manifestations of masculinities in their own lives, leading to a range of personal and intellectual discoveries.
MenEngage Delhi is glad to have various experts coming on board with this small endeavour to share their expertise on the issue. Experts from various organisations and networks visited Centre for Health and Social Justice’s conference hall to share their views in order to widen the understanding of the participants. Day 1 of the course experienced, sharing of knowledge from renowned youth activist and queer rights activist and also the founding member of Nazariya (a queer resource centre) – Rituparna Borah. Who discussed the concepts of equality and equity with reference to gender based discrimination. Day 2, as planned explored the issue with deeper understanding of socialisation process that propagates and promotes the idea of aggressive masculinity during an individual’s life cycle. The much complicated concept of socialisation was explained by another Delhi based activist- Prabhleen Tuteja from Jagori. Day 3 went further into scrutinizing this phenomenon with discussion being held on diverse and much deeply rooted settings and branches of social interactions, such as – Religion, Family, Khap Panchayat, Education, Friends and Market. These sessions were designed in a fashion to make participants equipped with the understanding of the methods and patterns that are generally used in such social interactions to promote the idea of aggressive or rather destructive masculinity. MenEngage Delhi had the privilege to have Logna Bezbaruah from Sangat South Asia as a resource person for one of the sessions. Whereas Day 4, saw a deeper discussion on media and portrayal of masculinity facilitated by Jaya Velankar, another renowned feminist and development practitioner.
The objective of this 4 day course which was to increase understanding on masculinities, construction of masculinities and its relation with violence and also exploration of one’s own manifestation of masculinities and to able to make a plan of action was fulfilled to a large extent. As towards the end the participants starting to notice a slight shift in their perception and realised that there is a need to prepare an individual plan of action to alter their own manifestation of masculinity.