Exploring "The Mask You Live In" (for men and those who love them)

Most men are given mixed messages about how best to “be a man”, and very little support for developing a full emotional range, or even permission to connect with themselves emotionally. How a man defines masculinity and how he relates to that definition (concern about not being good enough, strong need to prove himself, etc.) has tremendous consequences for the individual man’s health outcomes, his relationships, and his citizenship in the world. More specifically, when men feel insecure of their level of masculinity they often act out in ways that hurt themselves and others.

Join this 2-session HIP class in which we will show Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s (Producer of “Miss Representation”) latest film: “The Mask You Live In” and follow the next week with a moderated discussion about the pervasive culture that breeds these assumptions and behaviors, the challenging consequences for both genders, and some practical solutions to restore or maintain healthy self-esteem and balance. This course is open to people of any gender. There may be a guest appearance by one of the teachers featured in the film who is in residence at Stanford this year.

Instructors: Donnovan Somera Yisrael, MA, I Thrive @ Stanford, Vaden Health Center. Mr. Yisrael is the winner of the 2012 Amy Blue Award for exceptional dedication to his work at Stanford. Jane Rosten, LCSW, psychotherapist, and HIP health educator.

*HIP offers over 50 health education classes each quarter. For a full listing of classes, please visit hip.stanford.edu.