Growing men's caring selves

Four sessions in Rocky, Yeppoon. Distracted by doing things and fixing stuff, it's easier for men to talk about the real stuff

Paul Pule will host An Evening for Men: Growing our Caring Selves in Rockhampton this week. Picture: Jann Houley

PAUL Pulé got into men's business as a way to figure out how to be close to his dad.

His father was part of the post-war baby boomer migrant population from the Mediterranean region who, as his son puts it, lost a lot in order to fit in.

"Contrary to his cultural heritage, my dad grew tough and scary to be around," Mr Pulé said yesterday.

"I realised that repairing my relationship with him would be key to all other relationships as I moved through the world."

Mr Pulé is in Rockhampton this week to present a total of four seminars Monday to Thursday nights, two for men only.

From his childhood in Perth to a decade spent with his gay uncle in Greenwich Village USA to his PhD thesis titled Ecological Masculinities, Mr Pulé has worked to translate his academic studies into community support.

"When I worked as a carpenter, I'd be three storeys up painting soffits with other men, essentially doing a precarious climber's layback, and all of a sudden we'd start talking about our successes and our struggles," he said.

"It's typical that when men are distracted by doing things and fixing stuff, it's easier to get them to talk about the real stuff."

Mr Pulé calls it scaffold therapy.

"I realised the gift my father gave me was he was good with his hands and had a sharp inquiring mind."

And from his mother and grandmother he learned how feeding people equates with nurture and care.

"I find that men are more keenly motivated to become protectors when they have daughters," he said.

"Until we have someone to protect we can stay wrapped up in our own privilege; we kind of know it's wrong but we've been getting away with it for a long time."

The sessions, which are hosted, aims to create opportunities for Rockhampton locals to connect, to be heard and seen, and to understand other people in the region share their concerns.

And he's also going to give them a good feed.

"My sessions are about reawakening men's innate care: care of self, of each other, of family and community and of the earth," Mr Pulé said.

Monday and Wednesday nights are for men and women and feature live music by singer/songwriter Kate Mahood; Tuesday and Thursday's men sessions in Rockhampton and Yeppoon will feature music by Will Hearn.

An Evening for Men: Growing our Caring Selves

MENS ONLY SESSIONS

Tuesday November 20 at 6 PM - 9:30 PM, Capricorn Conservation Council - 1 Livermore St, Wandal

Thursday November 22 at 6 PM - 9:30 PM , Yeppoon (venue TBA)

Live music by Will Hearn

OPEN SESSIONS

Wednesday 21 November at 6.30 - 9.30 Yeppoon Queen St Community Hall

Tickets $15-20

Originally published as Growing men's caring selves