International Men’s Day in Pakistan: Redefining the Role Model | Instep

#International #Mens #Day #Pakistan #Redefining #Role #Model #Instep

The month of November, and specifically November 19, is a month and date set aside for awareness of men’s health – physical and mental – and a celebration of role models who are defying the stereotype that What and who do we believe in ‘Alpha Male’? Machismo is now considered a term closely related to toxic masculinity and the pressures that come with it.

For centuries men have lived in a world where the admission of emotions is considered dehumanizing, where emotions are considered weakness. And while men are trying harder to create a masculine image, men’s health around the world seems to be deteriorating. High blood pressure, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, obesity or general body dysmorphism disorders and poor mental health are some of the problems plaguing men around the world. Statistics show that the suicide rate among men is three times higher than that of women and the pressure to exist as an alpha male adds to the problem.

The myth of the alpha male has been circulating since ancient times, but what exactly is an alpha male? Is he a muscle man who can lead the pack and get out unscathed? The one who never hurts and never cries? The one with an iron will and a resilient, unyielding personality? We say it’s none of them. What’s fundamentally wrong is that we’re selling these ideas to our boys without proper context, and it’s time for the narrative to change.

Luckily that’s changing with a new role model, a man unafraid to connect with his human side.

“We’re all human. People are often afraid to admit difficulties, but I don’t believe anything that’s true should be struggled with,” Zayn Malik recently told The Sunday Times style magazine about eating disorders. And told about the problem. “If you were a boy you had to be really masculine, but now expressing emotions is accepted and respected.”

Dwayne Johnson has spoken out about mental health on numerous occasions. “Depression doesn’t discriminate. Regardless of who you are or what you do for a living or where you come from, it doesn’t discriminate, we all go through it,” he said in an interview. I said.

Men in Pakistan are also working on this issue. Osama Karamat Ali Shah, who came into limelight earlier this year when people drew comparisons between him and Jason Momoa, is all about the lockdown. A role model for menswear designer Ahmed Bhum (who designed a collection especially for International Men’s Day, which was published in Instep last Sunday), Osama looks not just a Drogo, but a doctor. And is a musician too. He is an active advocate of the need for physical and mental balance to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay sane amid the pressures of this age.

“I wake up early, around 6 a.m., and make sure I go to the gym and work out first thing in the morning. It keeps me mentally relaxed and physically healthy,” Rolle said. The model is known by his stage name, Osama Kam Loud. Osama also runs his own fitness program in Rawalpindi.

Osama’s usual jumpstart isn’t just a hobby, though. It is supported by science, and coming from a doctor, carries considerable weight. “Our hormone levels, especially testosterone, are highest in the morning. Not only does this make exercise more intense, it also helps build muscle. It helps burn calories and lose weight. I also get help,” he explains.

In layman’s terms, you’re physically at your peak in the morning, which makes it the best time to turn on your workout mode. “If I’m physically on point in the morning, it’s consistent with me mentally throughout the day,” he says.

Being a doctor, Osama also aspires to pursue a career in sports medicine.

“For as long as I can remember, I have been an athlete. Now that I am a medical professional, I want to combine my two areas of interest. One is the practical field and the other is the passionate field,” he explains.

The thing with athletics and physical activity is that if we don’t know what we’re doing, or have real science behind it, there’s no point. It’s like building a house but not knowing how to lay the bricks,” Osama said, stressing the importance of awareness before pursuing goals.

He graduated from medical school in 2016 and has been doing a lot of volunteer work at Allied Hospitals (Holy Family, Benazir Bhutto and DHQ) in Rawalpindi, but is currently focused on resuming his music as well as his American career. Obtain a medical license. It’s passion. It is the combination of all three aspects of his life – fitness, medicine and music – that gives him the balance to be healthy and happy. It also makes him a role model for others.

Osama recently chaired a seminar in Karachi and spoke to the youth about mental health. “I had the honor of speaking to some of the kids at the RCC (Remote Creative Camp) Initiative in Karachi, which is a young adult initiative. The whole initiative is trying to get the conversation going, and teenagers and young adults. Adults should be given a platform to express their frustrations in a way they can’t at home,” he shared.

The stigma attached to mental illness in Pakistan is a harsh reality that makes it harder for today’s youth to work, and that’s exactly what Osama wants to tackle with his talk. “It’s just what I believe, but if you’re physically in tune with yourself, the mind automatically follows,” he explains.

Explaining the balance of body and mind, what makes a person whole is the connection to the soul, which in Osama’s case comes through music. “To me, music is everything. I believe it’s given to us so therapeutically that it’s an outlet for you. It can really change your mood in seconds,” he Art. Talk about your interest in the farm.

Osama, who has shared the stage with Ali Zafar, Imran Khan and Edward Maya, has been on the music scene for nearly a decade. “It’s all about feeding the soul, and I know for a fact that I’ll never escape music because at the end of the day, that’s what drives me.”

This relationship with music completes the holy trinity of peak fitness for Osama, and the fact that he is at the peak of mental and physical health sets an example for the average man to follow if he improves his lifestyle. want to make . The grim realities of men’s health around the world are as real as the shockingly bleak statistics, but they can be easier to combat if there is a sustained conversation about men’s health.

Osama wears Ahmed Bham for an Instep editorial shoot titled ‘The Creation of Man’. Photography by Shehbaz Shazi; Prepared by N Gents