BOYS DO CRY - Gus Worland, founder and director at Gotcha4Life

By AdNews | 29 November 2021
 
Gus Worland.

A new series by AdNews shines a light on toxic masculinity and encourages Australians to support themselves and their mates. Featuring industry leaders sharing personal experiences with the tagline -- When the going gets tough, get talking.

It celebrates the BOYS DO CRY campaign, which launched with a transformed version of The Cure’s iconic song, Boys Don’t Cry. The campaign is the brainchild of independent advertising agency The Hallway, produced in partnership with The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Mental Health, Heiress Films, Good Oil’s Tom Campbell, Uncanny Valley, Initiative and powered by UnLtd – raising funds for mental fitness foundation Gotcha4Life.

First up is Gus Worland, founder and director at Gotcha4Life, Australia’s mental fitness charity, working to end suicide by delivering programs that create meaningful mateship, build emotional muscle, and strengthen social connection in local communities.

Gus Worland, Founder and Director of Gotcha4Life

Men generally want to deal with stuff themselves. “She'll be right mate, give it to me, I'll deal with it.” It's a difficult thing to unlearn that. But that's why we've got this problem. My goal is to get Aussie men more mentally fit and keep it as simple as possible.

When was the last time you cried?

This morning.

Tell us about your experience of traditional masculine stereotypes growing up.

I went to an all boys school, I had an older brother. My dad was old school in terms of never home, always at work. I grew up in a home that was traditional back in the '70s and '80s, where dad was the breadwinner and mum was the home maker. I grew up feeling that that was the way it's done.

What would you tell your 15 year old self about opening up and showing your emotions?

I always wore my heart on my sleeve, but even more so now I would tell 15 year old me that to be open, honest and vulnerable is ok. It sets you free and it also means that you surround yourself with likeminded people.

What do you want for the next generation?

To not worry alone. If they're not worrying alone, they're telling someone about how they truly feel.

What do we, as a society, need to do to challenge views that men should always put on a brave front?

I think we should have a subject in school called "mental fitness", I think we should make the conversation around mental health less of a big deal. Make it normal, if we continue to do the same thing over and over again, we will continue to get the same result.

 

 

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