Starting Monday, government’s Office of Gender Affairs will be offering several “Man Cave” sessions as part of Men’s Health Week.
“Oftentimes men tend to ignore their health; they are not the fastest to go to the doctor,” said Tara-Sue Morgan, the new OGA coordinator.
One of the goals of next week’s observance is to diminish that reluctance.
“The core thing we are trying to focus on is to get men to realise that your health is important,” Ms. Morgan said. “If you’re not healthy in your physical body, you are going to be affected in other ways. If you’re not there, then what will happen to your children and family?”
The week will be themed “Healthy Body, Healthy Minds: Keeping the Balance.”
“Oftentimes men are not the focus and they do feel left out,” Ms. Morgan said. “They feel marginalised, and we want to encourage a balance.”
The week, she added, will also further the OGA’s mandate to promote gender equality.
“If you only focus on the women, at the end of the day you’re going to always have a problem,” she said. “You want to make sure that at the end of the day everybody feels special.”
‘Man Cave’
During “Man Cave” sessions around the territory, male facilitators will touch on several health-related issues, including stress management, family, work and relationships, according to Ms. Morgan.
Men are also being encouraged to participate in a social media photo challenge tagged “Daddy and Me,” according to the organiser. Fathers are invited to post photographs of themselves and their children with the hashtag #daddyandmeBVI.
The challenge is designed to encourage fathers to spend time with their children, according to Ms. Morgan.
“We want to have a balance,” she said. “Sometimes it may be deemed that these are not the roles of the father, so we want to encourage more men to get involved because we know that there are so many men involved in their children’s lives.”
Want to go?
“Man Cave” health sessions for men will be held at various locations next week.
Monday
Her Majesty’s Customs Headquarters: 10 a.m.-noon
Immigration Department: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Road Town Fire Station: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Peebles Hospital: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Flax Building, Virgin Gorda: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; 6-8 p.m.
Department of Waste Management: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Friday
Department of Agriculture: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Social Friday
5:30-8 p.m., Bamboushay Lounge
{fcomment}