The MAN UP Mission:
“Redefining Masculinity”
To ‘MAN UP’ - The New Way
The phrase ‘MAN UP’ has always been used as a prompt for men to toughen up and stop crying. For decades, this phrase has defined masculinity, reminding men that it isn’t okay to be vulnerable. The belief that men should be brave and emotionless all the time is still pervasive in our community, leading to mental health issues arising from an inability to conform to this stereotype.
We envision a society where the phrase MAN UP is used instead as a reminder, to live authentically from one’s heart, embrace vulnerability and hold one another accountable to stand up for what’s right. Through this, men can lift one another up and embody what it means to be a man in the pursuit of a better, safer world.
The Co-Founders’ Story
Haseeb Riaz & Gareth Shanthikumar, the Co-Founders of MAN UP, have had their fair share of challenges in growing up and understanding what it meant to be a man, particularly transitioning from high school to the ‘real world’. Both coming from all-boys schools in Perth, they were never formally taught how to deal with negative emotions, how to navigate healthy relationships, or how to help out a mate going through tough times. Haseeb & Gareth had to learn about all these important life lessons through their own experiences. After entering university, and only after making countless mistakes on their own, they realised that there was a common problem most young men faced - that negative stereotypes of masculinity were harming young mens’ well-being. Most young men only stop to take inventory of their life after some sort of tragedy or loss, but Haseeb & Gareth were adamant on changing this story. With a common goal of helping other young men, MAN UP was born.
Our Values & Purpose
MAN UP is built upon core values that guide the organisation in ensuring we make a true change within society. Accountability, authenticity, community, compassion, courage and vulnerability are the values holding the MAN UP team together. We aspire to model these values as individuals and as an organisation in an effort to inspire other young men to do the same. As a leading organisation around challenging young mens’ notions of masculinity, it is crucial that we encourage men to embrace other emotions and traits, as it is the only way to be a whole and complete human being. We are human before we are any gender, and therefore, we should not feel less than for embodying a variety of traits. Our purpose is to let men know that to be a good man means being a good human first, and that we make up our own definition of what it means to be a man.
“A man is at his strongest when he is willing to accept his vulnerability”
— Paulo Coelho