Man Up!

It’s Time to Redefine What It Means to “Man Up”

Because the old way is killing us.

What Does It Mean To Be a Man in 2025?

Let’s start with the big question: What does it really mean to be a man today?

In 2025, we’re standing at a crossroads. For too long, being “a man” meant one thing: be strong, be silent and be stoic.

It meant pushing emotions down, hiding your struggles and putting on a brave face.

But we’re waking up. That version of masculinity is absolutely not working.
It’s not strength. It’s survival mode and it’s hurting men in ways we’re only just beginning to fully understand.

So what if being a man today meant something else?
What if we redefined masculinity not as silence and toughness but as honesty, vulnerability, connection and courage?

What if we reclaimed the phrase “Man Up” and gave it a whole new meaning?

Let’s Talk About Suicide – Because It Vital To
This isn’t just about changing language.
It’s about saving lives of men all around the world.

In the UK, 11 men die by suicide every single day.
That’s one man every two hours.
Globally, over 1,920 men take their own lives each day.
By the time you finish reading this blog, six more men will be gone.

These aren’t just numbers. They’re dads. Mates. Workmates. Husbands. Brothers. Partners. Sons.
Men who were loved.
Men who felt like they couldn’t speak.
Men who didn’t believe they were allowed to ask for help.

We lose so many because we’ve trained men to stay quiet.
Because we’ve told them, over and over, to “man up” and never explained what that should really mean.

The Old “Man Up”: A Dangerous Message

Here’s what “Man Up” has traditionally meant:

• Don’t cry.
• Don’t talk.
• Push through the pain.
• Never show weakness.
• Keep it to yourself.

Let’s call it what it is: toxic masculinity.

It teaches men that their value is tied to being tough, emotionally disconnected and unshakable.
It says that if you feel anything other than strength, you’re broken.
It creates shame around asking for help.

And shame is deadly.
Because shame leads to silence.
And silence, left unchecked, can lead to suicide.

So we need to break that cycle immediately.
We need to destroy the old version of “Man Up” and build something better not just for the men we know but men around the world.

The New “Man Up”: Strength Redefined

Here’s what “Man Up” should mean in 2025 and beyond:

• Man up and speak your truth.
• Man up and feel what you feel.
• Man up and cry when you need to.
• Man up and be vulnerable.
• Man up and reach out.
• Man up and support your mates.

That’s real strength, that is what you can take pride in!

Strength isn’t pretending you’re okay.
Strength is saying, “I’m not okay and I need to talk.”

Courage isn’t silence. Courage is honesty.
We don’t need men who suffer in silence. We need men who are brave enough to feel and brave enough to speak.

Construction: A Hard Industry, Not Spoken About Enough!

Let’s take a hard look at one of the UK’s most male dominated industries: construction.

• Over 85% of the workforce is male.
• Long hours, physical pressure, job insecurity and stigma make mental health harder to manage.
• Suicide rates in construction are three times higher than the national average.

This is an industry filled with graft, grit and hard blokes who show up and get the job done.

But have we considered the inside?

Many are exhausted, anxious, depressed and overwhelmed.
And the problem? They’re not talking about it.

Why?

Because they’ve been told to “man up” in the old way.
Keep working. Keep drinking. Keep quiet.

But that silence is costing lives.
And it doesn’t have to!

Changing the Culture on Site

It’s time to bring the new definition of “Man Up” onto the site.
Because real toughness? It’s not about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about having the guts to talk when you’re not.

Imagine this:

• Toolbox talks that include a check-in: “How are you doing, mate?”
• Posters that say: “Man Up = Speak Up”
• Managers creating open spaces for conversation
• Workers supporting each other, not just with labour but with listening
• Crying not being laughed at but understood

That’s the culture shift we need.
That’s the version of masculinity that could change everything for the better!

Let’s Be Honest: The Old “Man Up” Doesn’t Work

We need to say this out loud:

The old version of “Man Up” is a lie.
It’s outdated. It’s dangerous. And it’s killing us.

It tells men:

• “You’re weak if you ask for help.”
• “You’re less of a man if you cry.”
• “You’re not tough enough if you’re anxious or struggling.”

Let’s stop feeding that lie, that false narrative.
Let’s step away from toxic masculinity, not because men are broken but because men deserve better and can be better!

We deserve to be whole.
We deserve to be heard.
We deserve to heal.

This Isn’t About Making Men Soft It’s The Total Opposite, Its About Keeping Men Alive

Let’s be clear:
Redefining “Man Up” isn’t about stripping men of strength.
It’s about rebuilding the foundation of what strength really looks like.

Strength looks like a man saying:

“I’m struggling but I’m still here.”
“I’m talking because I want to get better.”
“I cried last night and I’m still stronger for it today.”

This is the masculinity we need in 2025.

A masculinity that’s:

• Emotionally honest
• Supportive
• Brave
• Compassionate

And Human, because men are humans at the start and end of the day.

Man to Man: Let’s Change This Together

If you’re reading this and it hits home then good!
That’s where change starts.

So let’s say this together:

Man up.
But not the way we were taught.
Not the outdated, damaging version.
Not the version that leaves men dead and families grieving.

Let’s man up and open up.
Let’s man up and cry when we need to.
Let’s man up and call our mates, our partners, our counsellors.
Let’s man up and stop pretending we’re okay when we’re not.

Let’s man up and live!

We’re Not Broken. We’re Brave.

Being a man isn’t about shutting up and shutting down.
It’s about feeling, healing and connecting.

We’ve been living under a lie for too long.
But we can change it, starting today, starting right now.

This is the new masculinity.
This is how we fight back.
Not with fists.
But with truth.
With conversation.
With connection.
With courage.

Final Word: The World Needs You

If no one has told you today
You matter.
Your life matters.
The world is better with you in it.

So don’t “man up” the old way.
Man up the new and improved way.

Because this time, it doesn’t mean silence.

It means survival