By Jessica Micallef
Matt Gleeson is hoping a bright pink moustache shaved on the side of his head will start a conversation many men struggle to have.
The community partnership and engagement officer at Sunbury Community Health has ditched the razors and will let his facial hair do all the talking as part of this year’s Movember.
“I have a passion about men’s mental health. I work on initiatives around youth mental health and gender equality” Mr Gleeson said.
“I think the way that we construct masculinity and the way that men are socialised, it can be a bit of a barrier to men seeking the kind of assistance that they might need.”
Mr Gleeson is no stranger to crazy hairstyles, he says his mohawk has become somewhat of a “trademark”.
But he is hoping his new look encourages men to speak up about their mental and physical health.
“It’s a good starting point for discussions with men about what [Movember] it’s about,” Mr Gleeson said.
“Men are historically bad help seekers whether it be about their physical health or their mental health.
There’s no shame in seeking help. In fact, getting onto things early can save a lot of grief down the track.”
Mr Gleeson and seven colleagues are using Movember to raise money for men’s health. “We just clocked over $4000 … They [Movember] have particular focus areas like prostate cancer and men’s mental health.”
To donate: mvmbr.co/2qtDMgX
