A real man (En riktig man) - A conversation box and an app about the view of masculinity in Värmland
About this good practice
Statistics show that men are responsible for almost all cases of abuse and that suicide is the most common cause of death among young men in Värmland. Seven out of ten boys neglect to study further after high school. In almost nine out of ten cases of assault, it is boys and men who hit. Of all Swedish men, 20 percent drink so much alcohol that it could endanger their lives.
Are these numbers a coincidence? Even though they look the same year after year? Or are they due to something that we can actually change? We believe that the explanation lies in prejudices about how a real man should be. We believe that the desire to be manly, or the fear of being unmanly, is what drives men to take life-threatening risks. We think it limits people. We think it makes many people feel bad unnecessarily. We believe that the solution lies in talking to each other. Dare to ask our colleagues and friends how they are.
The app "A real man" (En riktig man) contains questions about masculinity to discuss with others or think about alone. The questions come from the Conversation box "What is a real man?" which starts discussions about what it is like to be a man. It includes a conversation guide created in collaboration with Make Equal. Perfect to pick up at work, school, the sports club or with a group of friends. In the app, which can be downloaded from App Store or Google Play, you can also share your thoughts, as comedians, hockey players and many other guys and men have already done.
Resources needed
Region Värmland has used own working hours to develop the questions for the conversation box and app. For external support, we had a budget of SEK 200,000 for the box with a guide and question cards, which was the first part of the concept "A real man" before the mobile app was launched.
Evidence of success
"A real man" has won Värmland's communication award and was a finalist for the national Swedish Publishing award.
Both the converation box and the app have had a big impact and people refer to “A real man” as an investment that shows care for men and does not blame men.
This initiative has helped men in Värmland to actively work against destructive macho culture. Many men have during the years contacted Region Värmland and thanked for the help to start conversations.
Potential for learning or transfer
"A real man" is an equality initiative by Region Värmland. It concists of a conversation box and an app, free to download. With it , we ask the question what it means to be a man. Is it manly to take a beating, bite the bullet and dare to take risks? Is it unmanly to cry, ask for help and be a coward? The message of our investment is simple. It's about you as a guy or man having the right to be yourself. You should not feel forced to do certain things, or to be in certain ways, just because of your gender.
The initiative can, for example, help companies create safe and inclusive workplaces. It can be used as a study circle, with recurring meetings. It has been used in different ways, but usually by several men in one context, for example at a workplace or at school. There are a guide and cards with questions on various topics, such as gender equality, friendship, parenting, porn, sex, self-esteem, health, etc. The concept can easily be transferred to other regions.