My final module piece will be a 2000 word feature for a North West based audience. An extremely broad brief allowed me to explore many social issues. Originally I considered teen pregnancy, anorexia and drug abuse. However, these seemed to be part of a more national issue and it was hard to squeeze them down into one region.
Don't get me wrong, male suicide is a serious national issue, but I feel that particular traditional lifestyles in the north create a social barrier for men suffering in silence. Thus, I've been exploring what can be done to tackle this issue and what makes NW men at risk.
It's been a real challenge for me. Not only is this issue quite close to home, but obviously I'm also not a man so I can't instantly relate to traditional male roles. In the past, I've focused heavily on women's issues but I feel being a feminist goes beyond standing up for your fellow females. It's about gender equality. That's another reason why I was particularly drawn to this subject. We hear a lot about how gender roles effect women, but little about how they effect men. Breaking down these social constructions allows us to create a better world for both men and women alike.
I've yet to finish my piece. I'm currently writing up a very personal interview so it's been rather tough to get through. A friend told me the worst thing you can do with a story like this is to get emotionally involved, evidently I didn't get that memo!
I'll probably put my piece on here after I've received feedback.
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