As part of our ReTHINK! Youth Anti-Violence project on domestic and family violence, we reflect on the importance of supporting young men's mental health and challenging harmful stereotypes around masculinity.
The short snippet above of 
Youth Advocate & Educator, Daniel Principe @lastoftheromans, shared from our recent ‘Talks for Parents & Community’, challenges stereotypes about young men and asks vital questions around how to guide young men towards healthier expressions of emotion and behaviour.
How do we support boys and young men to reject ideas that dominance, control, or aggression define strength and recognise that these patterns can harm their own wellbeing as much as others?
Our Youth & Family Workers agree that:
Stereotyping young men can have serious, lasting impacts on their well-being and relationships.
Rigid attitudes and beliefs about masculinity often normalises dominating, controlling and aggressive behaviour that creates unsafe environments for girls, as well as, boys who don’t fit the mold.
It can excuse harmful behaviour instead of teaching respect and accountability.
It can also tell boys to bottle emotions and never ask for help.
Years of mental health data such as ‘The NSW Man Box’ research, shows these same attitudes are strongly linked to thoughts of suicide, self-harm, and dangerous behaviour.
When left unaddressed, these rigid ideas and pressures on masculinity can become risk factors for later intimate partner, family or sexual violence. This can be harming partners, families, and communities while ultimately damaging the men themselves through cycles of regret, legal consequences, and lost relationships.
When we call it out, model respect, challenge stereotypes as a community, and encourage help-seeking as a sign of strength, kids can learn to ditch those harmful stereotypes fast.
You’ve seen how stereotypes can be harmful to boys (in Part 1).
In Part 2, Youth Advocate and Educator, Daniel Principe at 2Connect Youth Community’s ‘Talks for Parents & Community’ also gets real with sharing what young men today think other men do in crisis and shares a message on challenging these stereotypes.
What helps young people cope when life gets heavy?
Our Youth & Family Counsellors at 2Connect Youth & Community also share some practical tips:
Teach boys it’s okay to feel. Whether this be happy, angry, sad or overwhelmed, we can give them safe ways to let it out (talking, sport, music, boxing the bag, not boxing people).
Name emotions early: “That sounds frustrating” Or “I get that you’re angry” instead of “Toughen up” or “Boys will be boys”.
Model help-seeking yourself: “I had a rough day so I called a mate / went for a run / spoke to my counsellor”.
Teach distress tolerance skills (breath work, grounding, walking it off) so they don’t turn to alcohol/substances, fighting, or dangerous behaviour.
Talk soon, talk often, and build a “crew”. One trusted adult or mate they can call anytime.
When boys learn healthy ways to cope today, they don’t become trapped by these rigid ideas on masculinity.
Support is available
2Connect Youth & Community provide free mental health counselling for young people aged 12–25 and their families in the Georges River and Bayside areas.
For more information on respectful relationships, visit: https://2Connect.org.au/dfv
If you are experiencing or at risk of experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, support is available. Reach out to 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (24 hours).
The NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 656 463 (24 hours) offers free counselling and referral services.
Mens Line Australia offer free and confidential phone counselling to men on 1300 78 99 78 (24 hours).
Kids Helpline offer free and confidential phone and online counselling for ages 5-25 on 1800 55 1800 (24 hours).
If someone is in immediate danger, call 000.