It’s not every day that an Indian A-list celebrity opens up about a sensitive subject. For ‘International Men’s Day’, MensXP collaborated with one of India’s biggest Digital Content Creators, Bhuvan Bam, to talk about the various misconceptions and cultural tropes that men fall prey to, as part of the brand’s #DontManUp campaign.
As part of this collaborative effort, MensXP and Bhuvan Bam have released a poignant video, where the digital icon recites a poem that is bound to tug at the heartstrings of men fed-up with flawed narratives like “Men Don’t Cry”, “Toughen Up”, or “Be The Man Of The House”. This heartfelt piece is meant to highlight the insurmountable pressures that are created in the lives of men from an early age.
A man crying is unfortunately considered an absurd anomaly; a muse for ridicule in fact. But why are men expected to stiffen-up their upper-lip when things get tough? How do we let go of such redundant cultural hardwiring? Being the premier progressive Men’s lifestyle platform in India, MensXP explores these questions through the #DontManUp campaign.
MensXP’s #DontManUp campaign challenges several outdated expectations, and encourages the modern man to embrace their vulnerability with an open heart and utmost sincerity. The exclusively digital campaign promises thought-provoking content and conversations, with many notable influencers partaking in the exercise.
The BB Ki Vines phenomenon opens up about his struggles with confronting his deeper, more complicated emotions, and the journey he undertook, peeling through the varied layers of his masculinity, in order to be the man he is today.
Speaking on this month’s MensXP cover, Bhuvan said, “There’s a lot that men have on their plates, from small expectations like ‘men don’t cry’ to it’s the primary job of ‘Men to run the house’ etc, so many times we find them knowingly or unknowingly suppressing their emotions and grief. While society thinks it’s not very “manly” to have a breakdown or be expressive of negative emotions, it’s high time we speak about the elephant in the room and make expressions of grief okay irrespective of the gender.”
“Personally, it’s a matter of great satisfaction that MensXP continues to champion its core agenda despite scaling at a rapid pace over the last decade. Our #DontManUp campaign this International Men’s Day is more than just another piece of content. It reiterates our commitment to building India’s biggest community for men. We’re deeply passionate about creating impact by raising awareness around key issues, starting meaningful conversations, and building safe spaces for men, a reflection of which is visible in our special digital cover with Bhuvan,” MensXP Founder, Angad Bhatia said.
MensXP’s content is consumed by 23 mn users every month. Its commerce arm, MensXP Shop, hosts 600+ premium brands, with over 20,000 carefully curated products. Besides their bespoke homegrown labels like MensXP Mud, Mojama, Fraternity, Indiyung & MensXP collective, the men’s only shopping platform is designed around grooming, wellness and fashion as it’s core categories. Within a year of its launch, MensXP Shop has emerged as the go-to destination for Indian men to discover content and products that help them navigate their social lives.