Three of the fantastic writers who contributed to the insideMAN book are to speak at the Being A Man festival at London’s Southbank Centre this weekend.
The three-day festival, which aims to “address the challenges and pressures of masculine identity in the 21st century”, will feature former Loaded editor and Telegraph Men columnist Martin Daubney; Leading men’s personal development practitioner, Kenny D’Cruz and the man who coined the term “metrosexual”, writer and journalist Mark Simpson.
Daubney will lead an afternoon mentoring session and appear on a panel discussion addressing the impact of pornography; D’Cruz, known as ‘The Man Whisperer’, will feature as one of the speakers in “Bam Bites”, to talk about what it means to be a more authentic man; and Simpson will appear on a panel discussion entitled, Mad Men, X Men and Grand Theft Auto, to explore what impact the limited depictions of men in the media may be having on men in real life.
Each writer has fascinating and challenging contributions in the insideMAN book. Daubney’s article, White Male Football Fans: The Scum it’s Great to Hate, unpicks the double standards and prejudices of the mainstream media towards working class white men; D’Cruz’s article, The Day I Realised I’d Married My Wife into a Lifetime of Racism, explores his heartbroken response to racist abuse towards his wife while they were on their honeymoon; while Simpson’s article, Crisis? What Crisis?, is a razor-sharp, not to mention very funny, dissection of the objectification of the modern male body.
To read these powerful stories and many more buy the insideMAN book here!
Now in its second year, the festival will take place from Friday 27th November to Sunday 29th November at London’s Southbank Centre.
The festival is billed as “a frank, thoughtful and often humorous look at the challenges, pressures, myths and pleasures around being born a male in today’s society. Traditional roles are changing and yet for many expectations of what makes a ‘proper man’ remain intact.”
Discussions slated for the weekend include, “everything from fatherhood to fitness, depression to racial stereotypes, the power of sport, the complications of monogamy, pornography, violence, the importance of banter and why James Bond won’t die!”
You can see each of the insideMAN book’s great writers speak in the flesh at the following times during the weekend:
- Mark Simpson on media portrayals of men: Saturday, Level 5 Function Room at Royal Festival Hall 12.30pm – 1.30pm
- Martin Daubney’s porn debate: Saturday, Level 5 Function Room at Royal Festival Hall 3.30pm – 4.30pm
- Kenny D’Cruz’s exploration of what it means to be a more authentic man: Sunday, Festival Village under Queen Elizabeth Hall 12.30pm – 1.30pm