The 'Man Problem' isn't Identity, it's Purpose.

There’s a growing conversation about masculinity in modern society that reflects uncertainty and a deep yearning for purpose. Young men feel like they’ve lost something tangible because they’re searching for meaning in a world where traditional roles have shifted. Young men haven’t been stripped of identity; they’ve been misled into believing equality is a threat to them. This is a critical discussion for professional spaces where purpose, career growth, and leadership are valued.

Men remain the most powerful, best-paid, and most represented demographic in Western society. Expanding rights for others doesn’t diminish their opportunities. But bad actors, self-described "traditionalists," populist figures, and influencers in the ‘manosphere’ have convinced many young men that equality is a zero-sum game. That’s the real crisis of masculinity: not that young men have been abandoned, but that they’re being fed a lie.

Instead of offering them a vision of masculinity based on ambition, care, and contribution, they’re being sold an outdated fantasy. One where strength is aggression, leadership is dominance, and identity is about controlling others rather than building something meaningful. Many successful leaders today embody modern, compassionate masculinity that balances ambition with empathy.

For too long, we’ve talked at young men, telling them to reject masculinity and warning them away from harmful influences. But have we truly listened? Many feel directionless, not because they lack power but because they lack purpose. I know I did in my early 20s. We must stop assuming young men inherently oppose progress and instead bring them into the conversation.

If we’re committed to gender diversity, that means all genders, including males. Young men need space to form a positive, constructive identity, not built on reclaiming lost privilege but on shaping their role in a changing world.

This is particularly relevant in discussions on neurodiversity. Many neurodivergent people, especially those with autism, struggle with identity formation. Until the last decade, autism in women was overlooked entirely. Now, research is revealing broader connections between neurodiversity and identity struggles, including gender dysphoria. The key theme? Agency matters. When people are given the tools to define themselves, they feel empowered and, in the case of neurodiversity, have even become asymptomatic.

Young men are no different. If we want them to reject reactionary ideologies, we need to offer them something better, not just scold them for looking in the wrong places.

The traditionalist masculinity being pushed today is not only harmful, it’s scientifically false. Overseas, the anti-trans movement has reached absurd heights, painting any challenge to traditional gender roles as a societal collapse. Meanwhile, figures in the men’s rights movement laughably parade as “alpha males” even though this concept barely exists in nature. We can challenge these myths in professional discourse, where facts and experience drive conversations.

Even in the animal kingdom, strength isn’t about dominance but contribution. Male lions don’t rule their pride, and wolves don’t have ‘alpha males’ as pop culture imagines them. The idea that masculinity is inherently about control and hierarchy is both biologically inaccurate and socially destructive.

We need to offer young men a better way forward. Masculinity doesn’t have to be violent to be energetic, selfish to be ambitious, coldly logical to be mindful, or exclusionary to be caring. Strength should be about what you build, not what you tear down.

At this point in history, we’ve neglected young men. We assume they’ll be fine independently and don’t need support. In doing so, we’ve left a vacuum that men’s rights influencers have eagerly filled. Thoughtful spaces where connections are built can change that narrative, providing young men with role models, resources, and purpose through meaningful work.

We need more Australian leaders who have fostered healthy masculinity. Football players like Ryder Jack, with his TOMORROW MAN project, have been demonstrating and advocating for male role models. For my money, we have the pinnacle of modern Australian masculinity in the Member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi . He is a giant, bearded Olympian, former miner, community leader, passionate advocate, caring husband, and father of two girls.

We should ask: What kind of identity do we want our young men to embrace?

So, let’s turn the conversation into a dialogue. We don’t need to give young men an identity; we need to listen to their search and help them build themselves.

As a man with a start-up company myself, my advice is to build something! A company, a deck, a chair, a model, a community—Build Australia’s Future.

The strongest masculinity is one that contributes, not one that clings to power. That’s the kind of identity all genders can respect.

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