Last week over on the Foxhound Blog I wrote about a fabulous online community called PlanBig, which essentially helps bring people together to make things happen! I’ve recently joined the PlanBig community and in my post I shared a little bit about some of the cool people and plans I have encountered via the PlanBig site.

One of these plans is called Soften the F*ck Up and is all about challenging the stereotype of the ‘real man’ in Australia because right now too many Aussie men are turning to suicide. The campaign seeks to reduce the stigma of mental health amongst men, because without reducing the stigma, we can’t promote mental health literacy and empower young men to seek help.

The Soften the F*ck Up site was launched on Friday and I urge you check it out and share it with all the men you care about.

On the site you will find some excellent resources, videos and personal stories. There is also this powerful manifesto:

This manifesto is a call to arms for men around the world to reunite and have each other’s backs. This is a call for men to bring back the meaning of mateship and of being a man. Being strong isn’t about who can keep a stiff upper lip for the longest. It is time to challenge the status quo.
I am a strong man. I am a strong man who knows who I am and is comfortable with that. One who empowers and treat others the way that I want to be treated – with justice, equity and respect.
I am a strong man.
I am a strong man because I care for others just as much as I would care for myself. I am going to make sure they take action if something doesn’t feel right or if I am not feeling well. This means talking about it with my mates, my family and anyone who is able to help me.
I am a strong man.
I am a strong man who looks out for my friends just as I want them to look out for me. This means checking in on, supporting, and empowering my mates and never leaving them behind. I’m going to have the tough conversations when we need to.
I am tough enough to admit faults.
I am strong enough to look after my family, my mates, people around me and myself.
I am man enough to have the tough conversations.