Aimed to shine a light on the changing face of men in a new world order, say the publishers, ManKind is committed to helping society as a whole see an alternative to old school patriarchy, and follows in the wake of the global #MeToo campaign.
ManKind will aim to empower men to be freer than ever to break away from the expectations that once engulfed them, to celebrate a way of living with true balance. Gone are the macho stereotype role models of the past, and a warm welcome to the fresh, more vulnerable men of our society.
According to ShortList, the commitment follows an on-going heightened focus and awareness in society on male wellbeing, and how stereotypes of modern perceptions of masculinity directly affect men. Borne from the recognition that men are three times more likely to take their own lives, but 84% less likely to open up about their emotions, ManKind is designed to directly address this and help men open up.
Through ManKind, ShortList magazine will dedicate its content, images and events across all platforms to ensure we change the way we think, write and talk about men. Initiatives already in place include:
We Are Proud: ShortList will run its first ever LGBTQ themed week around London Pride on 4th July, talking to a key mainstream audience about being allies to their LGBTQ friends and colleagues. The cover will be bold and unapologetic.
Happier Hour: Deaths relating to alcohol and drug addiction are statistically higher among men. So, ShortList have introduced a series of just-after-work event and talks that separate Happy Hour from alcohol, encouraging men to get away from their meetings and obligations and rediscover music, comedy and acting.
Mind The Grind: A challenge to the destructive macho culture of late working and out-of-hours emailing. ShortList will bring employers across Britain on board who will reset the unhealthy working practises, turning the ride on the stress-as-a-badge-of-price workplace.
ShortList’s ManKind issue will hit the streets on 27th June.
Phil Hilton, editorial director, Shortlist Media, said: “ShortList began life over decade ago, partly as an alternative to traditional “lad mags”. The Mankind initiative feels both a logical progression and entirely right for the conversation about men and masculinity happening right now.”
Joe Mackertich, editor-in-chief, ShortList, said: “I’ve always wanted ShortList to look and sound unique. And now, I want our readers to feel a similar sense of freedom in their own lives. Men need no longer be defined by the restrictive norms that have proved so damaging. The ManKind campaign, of which I am already immensely proud, will provide our audience with brilliant features which celebrate all the ways that masculinity can manifest itself in 2018. From our first Pride issue and pieces that deal with suicide, to our commitment to helping guys maintain a healthy work-life balance, ManKind is all about exploring and redefining what it is to be a man in this wonderful, occasionally baffling age.”
Links / further reading: ManKind
