Shea Emry - The CFL's Nastiest Player is Changing the Conversation Around Masculinity

Shea Emry is a former Canadian football player who played eight seasons in the CFL. When Shea experienced a serious concussion back in 2011, he struggled with depression and was left feeling unsure about who he was outside of being a pro-athlete. He has since taken the journey to rediscover who he is as a person and is a huge advocate on redefining masculinity. His mission is to break down social stereotypes on the definition of hyper-masculinity and to help support and guide young male youth. Key Takeaways: [0:55] ManTalks is moving to Toronto! [4:15] What was Shea's defining moment? [5:50] Shea had an incredibly bad concussion in 2011 and has battled back and forth between retirement, ever since. [6:50] It was hard for Shea to walk away from sports because he identified so strongly as an athlete. [7:30] What was it like to be a pro-athlete? [10:25] How did Shea get into pro sports? [12:15] Shea talks about his concussion and how he recovered from it. [19:10] How can parents, spouse, or friends help support someone suffering from a concussion? [21:30] Are you currently having an identity crisis? You'll want to listen in to hear how to overcome it. [22:45] It gets easier with time. You will find yourself again. [23:00] What's Shea's purpose? To challenge hyper-masculine stereotypes. [23:15] What does hyper-masculinity mean to Shea? [25:35] Shea briefly talks on the three organizations he's currently a part of and what they stand for. [32:50] Shea wants male youth to feel comfortable with expressing themselves. [33:45] How does Shea support the women in his life? [34:35] There needs to be a communicative environment in order to lend a hand and support the women in a man's life. [35:00] Shea supports his wife by putting his phone down and listening to what she is saying. [35:45] One of the most masculine things we can do is just be present. [38:40] What legacy would Shea like to leave behind? [41:35] Save the date! April 18th ManTalks will be live from Toronto. Mentioned in This Episode: http://www.vancitybuzz.com/ http://mantalks.com/ http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/An-Adventure-Within-How-to-Beco https://twitter.com/sheaemry http://wellmen.org/ Music Credit: Parlange & Latenite Automatic (jesusparlange.com – lateniteautomatic.com) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices