Date: 24 November 2023 (Friday)
Time: 4.45 – 5.45 PM
Event: International Men’s Day celebration by Young India Team.
Venue: Sri Krishna Hall, Amrita School of Business, Coimbatore.
Topic: Masculinities, Authenticity, and Workplace.
Resource Person:
“Masculinities, Authenticity, and Workplace” – Interactive Session Report
Young Indians Club of Amrita School of Business (ASB), Coimbatore, conducted an interactive session about “Masculinities, Authenticity, and Workplace” on 24th November 2023 to commemorate International Men’s Day, which happened on 19th November 2023. The objective of the session was to provide the students with a platform to discuss the various issues and problems that today’s men face and ways to deal with those problems.
Participants
The chief guests for the program included Mr ShivendraVaiyapuri, co-founder of Biraadari and primary school teacher of language and music, Mr Kalpesh More, co-founder of Biraadari and a consultant adviser on gender issues, and Mr Gopakumar V, Assistant Professor, Amrita School of Business and management professional. The program was attended by Dr. Nava Subramaniam, Dr.HemalathaVenkataraman, Dr. Hemamala K., Dr. B. Radhakrishnan, Dr. Sunitha Kumari R., and saw participation from more than 35 students.
Program Schedule
Mr Rohit S. Warrier began the program at 5.50 p.m. with a prayer song. This was followed by the showing of a brief movie about the importance of ASB’s male workers in cultivating knowledge and making students better citizens for society, as well as the greeting of visitors. Following that, the key guests and students engaged in an interactive session. At 6.45 p.m., the session was concluded with Dr. Hemalatha Venkataraman presenting a token of appreciation to the Biraadari Brotherhood.
Key Points of the Session
Mr. Shivendra began his presentation by providing a brief history of Biraadari, an online group that meets weekly to assist men in learning how to deal with their emotional burdens. He stressed the need for Deep Listening. Deep listening not only assists us in understanding others, but it also assists us in understanding ourselves. Because men and women coexist in society, women’s empowerment is incomplete without men’s empowerment. When discussing masculinity, he highlighted that it is impossible to identify a certain character as masculine. Because people’s perceptions of masculinity differ, it’s masculinities rather than masculinity.
Mr Kalpesh’s experience sharing provided great insights into the numerous challenges that men confront at various periods of life, such as childhood, professional life, and so on. He noted the intense stress that today’s employees encounter at work and the need for a safe space for males to talk about the challenges that they confront in life.
Mr Gopakumar provided a clear picture of how society fosters the notion of masculinity via various institutions like school, family, and so on. He also addressed the necessity for men to have a safe listening atmosphere. When addressing authenticity, he added that someone didn’t need to conform to a specific stereotype. Rather, it is a personal choice.
Conclusion
The interactive session on masculinity, authenticity, and the workplace provided a crucial space for open dialogue and self-reflection. The excellent lessons learnt and shared experiences will definitely help to develop situations in which people feel empowered to be their true selves. This seminar is an important step toward breaking down preconceptions and creating a more inclusive and equitable work environment for all.
