‘Male stereotypes’ health at risk’

Press, 16 March 1982, Page 15

‘Male stereotypes’ health at risk’

PA Hamilton Men who rigidly conform to the male stereotype put their health at risk and miss 50 per cent of human experience, a communicating health conference has been told. A Hamilton community psychologist, Mr Graeme Higgs, said men’s denial of the tender emotions could be linked to many physical svmptoms such as ulcers, high blood pressure, and headaches. In addition, the fact that men and women were brought up to value different things in conformity with

role stereotyping s-1 up con- ; flict within families, he said. A man’s competitive dedication to career goals was often at odds with his wife’s expectations of family life. Role stereotyping also caused difficulties as children grew into adults and were somehow expected to switch from being submissive and therefore nonresponsible to being dominant and responsible. The recent change in women’s roles was forcing men to change a little but they had to learn how to “humanise” their roles in daily life, he said.