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What it means to be a man
National technical director René Simoes. - file
Dear Jamaicans.
I was born on December 17, 1952, in a very poor community. I had to strive to survive based on the principles that my father and the church taught me.
There is some misinterpretation about how and when you become a man. Some of our friends believe that you become a man when you have sex with a girl, others think you are a man when you move out of your parents house. Even others believe that you are a man when you have your first baby with a woman, others feel it is when you get married and so and so.
My father always told me that I would become a man the day I take my own decisions and take responsibility for those decisions.
If you think about it, if you decide to get married but not take any responsibility for the marriage, how manly are you really?
If I make a baby and do not take the responsibility as a father, can I feel like a man? Wouldn't you in fact feel less of a man?
If I leave my family house and return every month to collect some money for my living, can I consider that decision to leave as a decision that has made me a man?
When I got married, I was 23 years old and it was a decision to do so and to assume all responsibilities that a man has in marriage. I did not get married to feel like a man. I was a man before I got married. That allowed me to not only take the decision but to act on the decision.
My first daughter was born when I was 25 years old. When I first held her, it did not make me feel manly. I was a man before I held her.
I knew I was man when I took the decision to take the responsibilities that came with having a child with my wife. It was a great time in our life.
Today, Jamaica has a large number of the boys and girls growing without knowing what it means to have a man at home. This is because so many boys feel that they are a man when they make a baby and that's it.
Today, a number of the babies born in Jamaica are born to student girls, who then have to leave school.
The result is that the Women's Centre has to work incessantly to ensure that these girls can live somewhat of a normal life because they are discriminated against and rejected by their families and the society in general, including the churches.
It is time to wake up on this very important social issue and teach boys and girls about taking responsibility for decisions.
Being a real man and a real woman comes only when you are prepared to take your own decisions and assume entire responsibilities for the decisions.
Let us think strongly about this issue and not throw it under the carpet. We will ignore it to our country's detriment.
May God bless you all.
National technical director René Simoes. - file
Dear Jamaicans.
I was born on December 17, 1952, in a very poor community. I had to strive to survive based on the principles that my father and the church taught me.
There is some misinterpretation about how and when you become a man. Some of our friends believe that you become a man when you have sex with a girl, others think you are a man when you move out of your parents house. Even others believe that you are a man when you have your first baby with a woman, others feel it is when you get married and so and so.
My father always told me that I would become a man the day I take my own decisions and take responsibility for those decisions.
If you think about it, if you decide to get married but not take any responsibility for the marriage, how manly are you really?
If I make a baby and do not take the responsibility as a father, can I feel like a man? Wouldn't you in fact feel less of a man?
If I leave my family house and return every month to collect some money for my living, can I consider that decision to leave as a decision that has made me a man?
When I got married, I was 23 years old and it was a decision to do so and to assume all responsibilities that a man has in marriage. I did not get married to feel like a man. I was a man before I got married. That allowed me to not only take the decision but to act on the decision.
My first daughter was born when I was 25 years old. When I first held her, it did not make me feel manly. I was a man before I held her.
I knew I was man when I took the decision to take the responsibilities that came with having a child with my wife. It was a great time in our life.
Today, Jamaica has a large number of the boys and girls growing without knowing what it means to have a man at home. This is because so many boys feel that they are a man when they make a baby and that's it.
Today, a number of the babies born in Jamaica are born to student girls, who then have to leave school.
The result is that the Women's Centre has to work incessantly to ensure that these girls can live somewhat of a normal life because they are discriminated against and rejected by their families and the society in general, including the churches.
It is time to wake up on this very important social issue and teach boys and girls about taking responsibility for decisions.
Being a real man and a real woman comes only when you are prepared to take your own decisions and assume entire responsibilities for the decisions.
Let us think strongly about this issue and not throw it under the carpet. We will ignore it to our country's detriment.
May God bless you all.
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