- Price:
- RSVP
Dit evenement is gratis. We vragen je wel om te RSPV-en.
Black Men Talk Foundation and Melkweg Expo present an evening of conversations and performances exploring what it means to grow up as a young (Black) man. What is expected of you, and who gets to decide? Together, we will discuss toxic masculinity, the pressure to appear strong, and what happens when you allow yourself to let go of that role.
“Never let them see you sweat.” From an early age, boys are often taught to keep their feelings to themselves, to value success and status above all else, and to see vulnerability as weakness. Online, these ideas are amplified even further. In the manosphere, young men are presented with a version of masculinity centred on control, dominance, and little respect for women. But what impact does that have? How do you deal with insecurity, stress, or sadness when you feel you are not allowed to show it? And what does masculinity look like when you define it on your own terms?
Throughout the evening, artists, role models, and people with lived experience will share their stories. They will speak about the expectations they faced and the places where they found room to be honest, in their work, their art, and their lives. This is not a lecture, but an open conversation where asking questions matters more than having the right answers.
What to expect?
You do not have to speak or share anything to attend. You are welcome to simply listen, and that is enough. After the conversation, there will be a Q&A session where you can ask questions or share your own experiences if you wish. No one will be put on the spot or asked to reveal anything personal. Everyone is welcome, whether these topics resonate with your own experiences, those of someone around you, or whether you are simply curious. We ask everyone to engage respectfully: what is shared here, stays here.
The talk takes place within the exhibition No Need To Pretend, where youth ambassadors from Stichting MIND Us, together with guest curator Cathelijne Blok, select works by recently graduated artists. The artworks explore themes of stress, alienation, and the pressure to meet expectations, as well as resilience, connection, and hope. The evening's theme ties in seamlessly: you do not have to pretend. Visitors are welcome to explore the exhibition before or after the talk. Café ODE will also be open throughout the evening for drinks before or after the event.
Practical information
Thursday 10 December 2026
Doors: 18:30 | Start: 19:00 | End: 21:15
This talk will be held in Dutch
Melkweg Expo (accessible via Marnixstraat 409)
If you have limited mobility or use a wheelchair, please enter via the main entrance on Lijnbaansgracht.
Header image by Finn Koene, Melkweg Expo, October - December 2026.
This talk is made possible by Melkweg Expo, Black Men Talk Foundation, Stichting MIND Us, and Fonds 21.
