Being a healthy macho man

Jul 17, 2022 News

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Boyz to Men…

By Nigel Williams

Kaieteur News – The vast majority of Guyanese men take great pride in their masculinity. Most men actively seek to portray a macho image. That image is usually the result of a macho mindset. Unfortunately, a macho mindset has been linked to unhealthy habits which in turn may cause more illnesses among men as well as a shorter life expectancy compared with women.

However, this need not be the case- A man — who has every right to be proud of being a man — can and should take steps to avoid the pitfalls of unhealthy habits and the problems caused by such habits. Men need to be conscious of the issue and work to be stronger, healthier, and have a longer more productive life. After all, men have families who depend on them.

The word “macho” itself has an interesting origin; the word came from astronomy — the study of stars. The word was first used as a short form of Massive Astrophysical Compact Halo Object. This is any massive, large, domineering object in space. Eventually, the word was adopted by the general public to mean an individual tending to display masculine characteristics, such as domineering fierceness, bravado, assertiveness, virility, etc., in ways that are showily and exaggeratedly tough. Currently, a macho man is one who displays such characteristics based on his own self-identity. Academics and experts recognise, accept and use this definition and concept of being a macho man.

It is widely known that men have a shorter life expectancy than women. In Guyana, the present life expectancy for men is only 62.5 years old while women are expected to live to the age of 69.4 years. This is the case even though men have higher income and better access to healthcare services. International studies have proven that a man’s shorter life is directly related to a macho mindset and the bad choices that come with it.

A study in Nigeria in 2019 concluded that a macho mindset has a positive correlation with a man simply not seeking medical attention when he is ill. A study in the United States concludes that, “Evidence on the connections between hegemonic masculine norms and influential health-risk behaviours, including poor diet, substance use, occupational hazards, unsafe sex, and limited health-seeking behaviour is clearly manifest.” The same study added that, “In short, while some gender norms can be protective in terms of health outcomes, men’s poor health is most often driven by their efforts to live up to or adhere to restrictive societal norms related to manhood.” In other words, all those academic studies indicate that men — because of the macho attitude — do risky things while at the same time, they do not seek medical care when they need it. And, of course, such attitudes and behaviours lead to more illnesses and earlier death.

The question now is, what can men do about the matter? First, let us break down the problem into its two important parts: a macho mindset, and macho behaviour. Clearly, there is nothing wrong with having a macho attitude. Men who have a macho attitude sometimes channel that attitude into healthy activities: such men may engage in healthy sports such as football, rugby, or cricket. Such macho men may go to the gym to build strong bodies. Men who engage in such healthy activities are less likely to smoke or drink excessively; they are also more likely to maintain a healthy diet. On the other hand, unfortunately, many men with a macho mindset go in the opposite direction. This is where the problem lies. Such men may believe that it is “manly” to smoke and drink heavily. They may think that going to a doctor when they are sick is not for them. And, because more men take the macho mindset and turn it into unhealthy behaviour, we now have a situation where more macho men are getting sick and dying earlier.

The solution to the problem should be clear by now. Men should know that there is nothing wrong with being a macho man; the important matter is what men do with that macho attitude. Do we channel our masculine pride into healthy behaviours, or do we move in a self-destructive direction? We need to think carefully about that question, and we need to make the right choice. If we make the right choice and focus our macho pride in a good direction, we will live longer, healthier lives. We will be better able to provide for our families. We are more likely to be alive, to enjoy the company of our children and grandchildren. So, even as we pride ourselves in our manliness, let us remember that our families need us; let us channel that pride in the healthy direction and make the wise decisions that will lead to better lives.

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