MediaMindful supports the screening, distribution, and discussion of Shoulder to Shoulder: men and vulnerability.

The video is structured around three central questions: What does vulnerability feel like? What barriers keep men from being more vulnerable? How does a lack of vulnerability affect men’s relationship with others and themselves?

Shoulder to Shoulder: men and vulnerability asks men about their experiences of being vulnerable and how this affects their emotional and relational health.

Each story is personal but connects to larger social issues of isolation, control, and violence. Patriarchy needs to be named and challenged through the everyday thoughts and actions of men as well as through organized public efforts.

Shoulder to Shoulder is part of a growing number projects focusing on masculinity and feminism because the issues are so critical and relevant to social justice, and yet largely still ignored.Issues of homophobia, bullying, gendered violence, and terrorism can be opened up for discussion through the stories in Shoulder to Shoulder as well as more individual challenges about strength, fear, shame, silence, and self-esteem.

The commanding image of the video is water, an element usually associated with the feminine. Different states of water reflect the emotional world of male vulnerability. These images are shared with head and shoulder shots of the men in a split screen effect.