In celebration of International Men’s Day, we’ve been asking what it means to be a man. Kian McKeigue, a 19 year old student, tells us what it means for him.
What you do?
I’m a second year Biology student at The University of Bristol. I’m wanting to have a career in either Biotechnology or Phylogenetics. I have two part-time jobs: I am working as a PASS Leader at The University of Bristol as well as working as a support worker.
What does International Men’s Day mean to you?
International Men’s Day is a day for discussing the issues that are facing boys and men in today’s society and to help raise money for charities that address these issues.
As a student I am raising awareness on these issues by contacting University societies and the Bristol SU and I’m working hard to get the message around.
I have not had much luck but I have the drive to continue and push forward. I am also taking part in Movember but as I’m currently raising money for Hope for Children it’s difficult to fund-raise for two charities so instead I am only raising awareness.
What advice would you give to your 13 year old self?
The first thing would be to enjoy being a child more and to stop wishing to become an adult (It’s not as easy as I thought).
I’d also encourage my younger self to invest more time into studying at school more, to be more confident when meeting new people as it’s an important skill to have, to not be afraid to start a conversation with my peers and to accept rejection (whether that be academic, work applications or making friends/plans with others).
What it means to be a man is…
It’s difficult to answer this question as it differs between different men as things such as experiences and beliefs shape what it means to be a man.
Personally, I believe that a man is someone with immense resilience and loyalty, strong empathy for any and everyone no matter their background and someone who is selfless.
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