Mansfield MP wants more done to champion the good men of society

We are often told that traits men have are ‘toxic’ or undesirable.

We talk of ‘male privilege’ but it is no surprise that such discourse contributes to a men’s mental health crisis, where suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45.

In fact 75 per cent of suicides are men, as are 95 per cent of prisoners.

Men are three times more likely to suffer with addiction and make up 87 per cent of rough sleepers.I also raised the plight of white working-class boys, an issue I am very passionate about.

These lads are the least likely of any group to do well in school, to go to university or to generally improve their lot in life.

This is a massive issue for areas like ours as post-industrial towns, such as Mansfield, but we don’t very often look at economic or geographical disadvantage when we talk about inequality.

A few weeks ago I also held a debate about the Equality Act.

The Act enshrines ‘sex’ as a protected characteristic.

Contrary to popular belief this means both men and women, equally.

The act also pushes for ‘positive action’ to level the playing field, yet it seems often to be misused and misunderstood.

I have heard a lot of people say that ‘men rule the world’ and yes, alright, some do – but 99 per cent of men don’t.

Some live on the streets or are considering suicide.

I also wanted to praise the contribution of dads in our society.

I know myself that balancing a job with being a good father and living up to those expectations is not easy and so I paid tribute to those dads putting their family first.

In particular, I praised those dads who may be going through a tough time, those that might be having financial worries, but are trying to do the right thing.

It’s not easy, and their role is so important.We all have men in our lives, brothers, sons, friends – and dads of course.

I want to say we should work to build our men up, rather than seek to rip them down.

Ben Bradley is MP for Mansfield