Men’s Mental Health Matters Too with Gretchen Hernandez

When a woman joins a department at work that's full of men, she's celebrated as diversity. When a woman prioritises her career over starting a family, or when she juggles family life with work, she's considered strong. When a woman embraces her flaws and is comfortable in her own body, she's looked up to as an example of self-love. But as soon as a man tries to step away from gender roles and redefine his masculinity for himself, people dismiss his efforts because of the notion that men are collectively "too privileged" to be celebrated.

Whilst it's true that patriarchy dominates throughout, very few of us take out the time to understand that toxic masculinity shapes society and that men who don't conform to the traditional masculine image have been suppressed as long as their female counterparts have been. Gretchen Hernandez, a men's mindset coach and host of the My Freedom Grove podcast, works towards changing that narrative through giving a platform to men willing to break out from gender norms, as well as providing a space where men can share their journey with other men. Gretchen is a strong believer that gender equality can only be established when everyone is included and gender stereotypes are abandoned to ensure those that weren't being heard are able to amplify their voices when they are ready.