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)

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