Shout out to the heroes at the back; the ones carrying the whole demographic on their shoulders, giving us hope for better versions of the ton. The ones who are the silver lining and allow us to sometimes say, ‘not all men’. The ones teaching the next generation of men what it truly means to ‘Man Up’, the beauty in your strengths and not to project weaknesses.
Shout out to the heroes at the back; the ones who stayed; and remained firm and resolute in the wake of adversity. The ones who are accountable, protective, reliable, kind and never let their loved ones lose a strand of hair on their heads. The ones who go to war for their people and the ones who lay down their lives today for a better tomorrow.
A big shout out to the heroes at the back. The ones who see beyond themselves and their egos and recognize the greatness in others. The ones who are more secure in their being that a simple tip in the financial scale between the genders or love for pink will never make them quiver or think less of their name. The ones who know and see others as equals and accords them the respect they’ve earned and certainly the one who knows that your actions towards him and his support for communities and movements do not make him less of the man he is.
An important shout-out to the heroes at the back, the ones who have refused to conform to society’s stereotypes and unrealistic standards. The ones who have created a standard of their own and have continued to break glass ceilings, inspiring others to do the same. The ones who lead by example and speak truth to power. To the men who are agents of change and do not hide behind the herd, we see you.
In the spirit of fairness, shout out to the heroes at the back. The problem solvers, the ones who generously facilitate the good times, celebrations and the good wine. The ones who primarily look to create joy in the hearts of many and provide momentary escapes from the cruelty around us. The ones who show you the life you can build if you earn it, but not at the risk of your own self.
Lastly, a very special shout out to the heroes at the back, the silent heroes who don’t think it’s necessary to speak up and speak their truth. The ones who carry their battles alone and chest out to mask their woes. For as long as you stay silent, we will continue to write your stories for you and by the looks of it, these heroes are never beating the allegations. It will always be The State VS You.
