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user-inactivated  ·  2120 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Demi Lovato proved what we didn't want to admit: male sexual assault is still seen as a laughing matter

We are in the middle of a suicide epidemic, and nobody gives a shit. Suicide is the second leading cause of death of male teenagers in the USA according to the CDC. More US military kill themselves than die in combat, by a factor of three. Some 3/4 of all firearm fatalities are suicides. More men kill themselves than are killed in car accidents and homicide, combined.

Bring any of this up and if you get a reaction at all, depending on the crowd you are with, you get silence, indifference, 'They should all have manned up' or some nonsense along those lines, or laughter.

    You know who I don't see talking about this shit? average dudes.

Because any time us average dudes try to have a conversation about stuff like this we are accused of "mansplaining" or silencing marginalized voices or some garbage. One guy I knew back in the early 90's went to a mental health clinic to seek help for suicidal thoughts; the therapist felt he was a danger and reported him to the police. He did a year in jail as a 'threat to the community' and killed himself when he got out. At least in my friend groups we all know the universal truth is that nobody gives a shit if guys like us have problems. My friends have been down this road enough times with enough people we know that we all look for the signs of someone on the edge and deal with helping as best we can. Average dudes who have watched good people slip away all know nobody cares, so why bother talking?