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One such man who wanted to take a look inward and attend Men Can is Sterling Johnson, 33, a local lawyer, who says he identifies as \"queer\" and has seen things \"throughout the world that are unfair with women and men, misogynistic things.\" This compelled him to be part of a group trying to make a significant difference in the community.

\"PHOTO:
Toby Fraser, Lutheran Settlement House in Philadelphia
PHOTO: Local Philadelphia men organize for the "Men Can" program, where organizers hold "Community Conversations," involving discussions about racism, domestic violence and last month, one titled, "Get Your Boys: Male Accountability in #MeToo."
>

\"The main thing I got from [attending 'Get Your Boys'], were the individual stories,\" he said. \"It felt good to share with others and get differing perspectives. But it seems we all grew up in a pretty misogynistic world that taught men to devalue women.\"

Johnson said, \"what maleness is\" -- even in the dating world -- gets discussed often in the group.

\"My experience is everything is a competition,\" he added. \"As a man, it's important to want to beat other people, in sexual prowess, in [the] need to have more money, things like that. Especially in college, I went to law school. [As a man] if you're not doing that, you are thought of as weak, and need to man up and get it together.\"

The ability to be a man and still be vulnerable is important to Johnson.

Staff members Toby & Richie lead an activity at our 40 hour training for domestic violence advocates. Participants were asked to take off their advocacy hats and take on the personality of the fictional client at the center of the activity. Interested in learning more about the professional trainings LSH offers? Want to learn more about how to participate in the interactive and dynamic 40 hour training? Follow the link in our bio!

A post shared by Lutheran Settlement House (@lshphilly) on Jan 26, 2018 at 7:49am PST

\"In my opinion, this where we start. We had some great conversations with people from different areas and backgrounds, having discussions about important issues,\" he said. \"What gender is about, about what it means to be nonbinary. This is going to change the way our culture experiences gender ... as a man, you have to investigate all the things that go into masculinity, just look at yourself, forgive yourself then change.\"

Fraser and Shulz said they’ve received positive feedback from women and those in the Men Can program.

\"When you just think about, 'What can I do about this problem?' it's overwhelming and scary,\" Shulz said. \"When you start thinking, 'What we can do as men?' there's a lot more creative solutions that come from that. Don't be afraid, ask men for support, [and] how can you approach one of your friends together and transform that belief.\"

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