Join NGM on our first EVER Circle field trip! We're headed into the foothills for a hike and a discussion about the relationship between masculinity and self-care.

About the topic:

Self-care has become an important concept, helping people to define what they need in order to feel at their best.

From bubble baths to hiking, and meditation to massage, many activities can fall under the umbrella of self-care. For some folks, self-care is more about sticking to certain routines, like ensuring they get 8 hours of sleep per night, and for others, it might be about carving out regular time for exercise or hobbies. Self-care may be more social, too – involving friends or family. So what could masculinity have to do with self-care? We're curious to unpack:

• How might the messages we receive about how to “be a man” impact men’s self-care?

• Are there ways that men practice self-care that may be having the opposite impact as intended? What could those be? What could that look like?

• Are self-care practices gendered? For example, are there some self-care practices that are mostly marketed to men? Or mostly marketed to women? Why might that be, and what impact does this have on people?

• How can the language of self-care be used to dress-up, perpetuate or recreate harmful gendered norms?

• What might be some problems with self-care as a framework, as opposed to community care? How might community care and gender be related?

• What can we do to challenge stereotypes about masculinity & self-care? what could the impact of challenging those stereotypes be?

About the Hike:

Phsyical exercise is just way one to pratice self-care, and because we have the beautiful Canadian Rockies in our backyard, we thought why not take advantage of them and go for a hike?! Set in Kananaskis Country, Fullerton loop is one of the better know trails for beautiful views, being dog friendly, and has plenty of space for a BBQ after the hike.

That’s right! Just like with any NGM event, we love to ensure food and drinks are available. There will be hotdogs and hamburgers, along with chips, water, and pop provided as part of the event.

Date: Saturday, August 26th, 2023

Start Time: 11:00 a.m.

Location: Fullertoop Loop Hiking Trail (google maps)

Join NGM on our first hike! As we walk through the beautiful foothills, we'll discuss the relationship between masculinity & self-care. Our focus is typically on how men and masculinity fit into the feminist movement, but folks of all genders & backgrounds are welcome to attend.