We’ve teamed up with Whole Man Academy to get our members thinking about the big M, masculinity. Over a series of talks at The Collective Old Oak, we’ve discussed movies and manhood, the changing face of masculinity and how to be vulnerable in today’s society. We got chatting to Anthony Astbury, co-founder of the Whole Man Academy to find out more about why he set it up in the first place, and what we can all learn from talking openly.
“For me, the quest for the perfect physique started when I was 21,” says Anthony. “I suffered a spontaneous pneumothorax (or collapsed lung) and lost a lot of weight over 6 months of inactivity. After that I wanted a body like a Men’s Health cover model, that’s as masculine as you can get right? I would go to the gym 5 days a week, eat a healthy diet, but still drink a lot. I now realise I linked my self-worth with my physique. If I hadn’t been to the gym for a few days, I felt rubbish.”
“I’m now 41 and more interested in how I feel and act, rather than how others see me. It’s impossible to control what they think, so no use worrying about it. I’m now just trying to do my best as a dad, partner, businessman and co-founder.”
In 2018, Anthony co-founded the Whole Man Academy alongside BBC News Editor and writer Matthew Shaw, as a space where men can get together to talk mindset, masculinity, mental strength, resilience, and male identity.
The alarming statistics show that there is a mental health crisis in the U.K, with men being adversely affected the most. They often grow up thinking that talking openly isn’t very ‘manly’. But the Whole Man Academy is challenging those stereotypes and changing the face of what being ‘a man’ is.
“At one of our events, we asked a mixture of backgrounds, ages, and sexualities to help us understand the concept of masculinity. For most men, it depends on the world he grew up in.” Anthony explains. “What were his parents' values? Did he live in a loving environment? Who were his role models as a boy? Was someone around for advice and support?”
“We now know that it’s ok to be vulnerable, it’s ok to say I could do with some help. Though we still have lots of work to do, to help men and women feel comfortable in their own skin.”
This got us to thinking, girls, boys and everyone in between, how vulnerable do we allow ourselves to be? With Anthony’s help we set ourselves a little homework, getting to grips with this vulnerability thing...