Originally published July 18, 2019
Last updated September 19, 2019
Posted in Ballarat, Gender & Sexuality, Health, Media
There’s a Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System going on at present. Yesterday, I spoke to the Ballarat Courier about statistics that show high rates of suicide in Ballarat, especially among men.
Ballarat’s Alex Bayley, who identifies as non-binary, also believes that communication could be an issue, saying: “When I see those stats, I think about how many of those men are struggling with traditional expectations around masculinity, and what it means to be a man, and feeling that if they’re not a real man then it’s not worth living”.
“Men talking to each other or not talking to each other, expressing emotions or seeking professional help – if you’re told real men don’t need that, people won’t seek it out.
“It’s the underlying systems and social patterns that are causing all this harm for men, for the queer community, for everyone.”
Attwooll, Jolyon, and Alex Ford. “How Can We Lower Ballarat’s Suicide Toll?” The Courier, July 18, 2019. https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/6279408/how-can-we-lower-ballarats-suicide-toll/.
Alex Bayley is a tech industry refugee, independent researcher, writer, educator and community builder. They live in Ballarat, west of Melbourne, Australia.
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