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South China Morning Post
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hit Netflix series Adolescence raises key questions about shaping masculine identities
Stephen Graham's Netflix series Adolescence received universal acclaim from critics on its release in March this year. The British drama tells the story of a family whose seemingly ordinary existence is thrown into turmoil when their teenage son is accused of murder. What unfolds is a deep dive into the dangers of social media , toxic masculinity and misogyny. While entirely fictional, the drama had viewers and critics alike commenting on the realistic depiction of the worrying threats facing adolescents today, including the concerning rise of the 'manosphere' with content from the likes of self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, who has been charged with rape and human trafficking. Young people in Hong Kong are clearly not immune to such content. Dr Jeffy Ho, lead clinical adviser at Mind Hong Kong, explains that masculinity in Hong Kong is shaped by a mix of traditional Chinese values of filial piety, stoicism and duty, along with Western influences of independence, assertiveness and emotional openness. Dr Ho's work with Mind Hong Kong includes oversight of the Improving Access to Community Therapies programme*, which offers low-intensity psychological support sessions from trained well-being practitioners, including school-based services made available to students. These programmes are designed, among other things, to 'help teens build skills for navigating peer and adult relationships [...] and cope with the social pressures that arise from all situations, which may include gender expectations'. KELY Support Group's Get Positive programme incorporates circus skills to help Hong Kong secondary school students deal with stress and boost their confidence. Photo: Handout Ho says there are common narratives around masculinity, including 'men as providers and protectors, [and] emotional restraint, toughness and academic or professional success as markers of male worth and leadership, confidence and competitiveness – as well as avoidance of traits considered 'feminine''. Adolescent identities form as the result of a complex mix of biopsychosocial changes, he explains. 'These intersecting factors [...] make it even more challenging to navigate what it means to be a man,' he adds. Louis Hou, executive director of KELY Support Group, which provides education, outreach and support programmes to empower youth with 'knowledge, resilience and confidence to challenge traditional norms', agrees that 'local culture, heavily influenced by historical media portrayals, continues to reinforce traditional views of masculinity. This phenomenon isn't unique to Hong Kong, but is observed globally.' Dr Wilbert Law, chairman of the division of educational psychology of the Hong Kong Psychological Society and assistant professor in the department of psychology at The Education University of Hong Kong, echoes these sentiments. 'Traditionally, there are certain narratives around masculinity in Hong Kong Chinese [culture] such as being the breadwinner or master of the house, taking on leadership roles in society, carrying on the lineage, and protecting women and more vulnerable [people],' he says. As to whether these ideas are changing, Law explains this is less straightforward. 'It depends on age groups as well as religious and cultural backgrounds,' he says. With multiple types of masculinity being acknowledged and demonstrated across society, he adds, 'There is more heterogeneity in what defines a man.' Wellbeing practitioners trained under Mind Hong Kong's iACT programme. Photo: Handout According to Hou, there has been a shift in Hong Kong towards a 'soft masculinity', where men are encouraged to embrace vulnerability. 'Mental health has entered the discourse, with growing societal support for men to express a broader emotional range. The rise of male-oriented support groups and mental health resources further underscores this departure from traditional ideals of stoicism, reflecting wider acceptance of diverse emotional expression.' In addition to this, traditional expectations of male breadwinners are changing, says Hou.
South China Morning Post
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hit Netflix series Adolescence raises key questions about shaping masculine identities
Stephen Graham's Netflix series Adolescence received universal acclaim from critics on its release in March this year. The British drama tells the story of a family whose seemingly ordinary existence is thrown into turmoil when their teenage son is accused of murder. What unfolds is a deep dive into the dangers of social media , toxic masculinity and misogyny. While entirely fictional, the drama had viewers and critics alike commenting on the realistic depiction of the worrying threats facing adolescents today, including the concerning rise of the 'manosphere' with content from the likes of self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, who has been charged with rape and human trafficking. Young people in Hong Kong are clearly not immune to such content. Advertisement Dr Jeffy Ho, lead clinical adviser at Mind Hong Kong, explains that masculinity in Hong Kong is shaped by a mix of traditional Chinese values of filial piety, stoicism and duty, along with Western influences of independence, assertiveness and emotional openness. Dr Ho's work with Mind Hong Kong includes oversight of the Improving Access to Community Therapies programme*, which offers low-intensity psychological support sessions from trained well-being practitioners, including school-based services made available to students. These programmes are designed, among other things, to 'help teens build skills for navigating peer and adult relationships [...] and cope with the social pressures that arise from all situations, which may include gender expectations'. KELY Support Group's Get Positive programme incorporates circus skills to help Hong Kong secondary school students deal with stress and boost their confidence. Photo: Handout Ho says there are common narratives around masculinity, including 'men as providers and protectors, [and] emotional restraint, toughness and academic or professional success as markers of male worth and leadership, confidence and competitiveness – as well as avoidance of traits considered 'feminine''. Adolescent identities form as the result of a complex mix of biopsychosocial changes, he explains. 'These intersecting factors [...] make it even more challenging to navigate what it means to be a man,' he adds. Louis Hou, executive director of KELY Support Group, which provides education, outreach and support programmes to empower youth with 'knowledge, resilience and confidence to challenge traditional norms', agrees that 'local culture, heavily influenced by historical media portrayals, continues to reinforce traditional views of masculinity. This phenomenon isn't unique to Hong Kong, but is observed globally.' Dr Wilbert Law, chairman of the division of educational psychology of the Hong Kong Psychological Society and assistant professor in the department of psychology at The Education University of Hong Kong, echoes these sentiments. 'Traditionally, there are certain narratives around masculinity in Hong Kong Chinese [culture] such as being the breadwinner or master of the house, taking on leadership roles in society, carrying on the lineage, and protecting women and more vulnerable [people],' he says. As to whether these ideas are changing, Law explains this is less straightforward. 'It depends on age groups as well as religious and cultural backgrounds,' he says. With multiple types of masculinity being acknowledged and demonstrated across society, he adds, 'There is more heterogeneity in what defines a man.' Wellbeing practitioners trained under Mind Hong Kong's iACT programme. Photo: Handout According to Hou, there has been a shift in Hong Kong towards a 'soft masculinity', where men are encouraged to embrace vulnerability. 'Mental health has entered the discourse, with growing societal support for men to express a broader emotional range. The rise of male-oriented support groups and mental health resources further underscores this departure from traditional ideals of stoicism, reflecting wider acceptance of diverse emotional expression.' In addition to this, traditional expectations of male breadwinners are changing, says Hou.
South China Morning Post
09-03-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
How Megan Lam transformed mental health in Asia with AI
Great minds blazing a trail: meet the women who are leading the way in the realm of science and invention. Advertisement 'I only do mental health. This is the core theme of my life. I can't do anything else,' Megan Lam says of her work. She is joking, but it is also the truth. Lam, 32, is the co-founder of Neurum Health, a B2B company that specialises in digital mental health through artificial intelligence and machine learning. Its goal, she says, is to provide personalised mental-health support for the workforce. 'From losing family members to suicide and from my own struggles,' she says, 'I was just desperate to find a way for every person to get the right mental-health support that meets them exactly where they are.' Lam recently stepped down as CEO of Neurum Health and as interim executive director of youth mental health NGO KELY Support Group, to focus on her own health and well-being. 'I have to walk the walk,' she says. Advertisement The Yale alumna jumped from a research fellowship at the American university's School of Medicine into entrepreneurship to start Neurum Health in 2018. Five years later, she was chosen as a fellow of the Cartier Women's Initiative, earning an Impact Award for her work.
