Tough 'n Talkin' (TNT)
The TNT program is exactly what its moniker suggests: Tough N’ Talkin’, where young men can talk openly with other young men about such issues as relationships without sacrificing their sense of masculinity. It is hard for men to talk about their emotions, their girlfriends or their fears. Society has built a generalized rule that women talk about these kinds of things. Men are not supposed to bear their emotions, not when we are made of stone as the stigma implies. Men that do express their emotions are considered “soft†or “wimpy.†TNT is about breaking this stereotype. It is okay for men to talk about these things. Not only is it okay, but it is also necessary in order to help young men develop the skills that they will need to use in the relationships and situations that they will encounter during their lives.
The program is geared towards young males who could be defined as “at risk†for STI’s, substance abuse, crime, etc. But the camp works equally well, and is just as useful, for any young man. We have found that there is a severe lack of mentorship and guidance in the lives of most young men today. TNT hopes to fill that void. That is why it is a special program: we are not adults preaching to kids. We are the peers of these young men, and we try to learn as much from them as they can learn from us. By removing this “authority-subordinate†role, facilitators and participants can work together to improve their relationship and sexual health skills. The program is fun, it is dynamic, and that is why the young men involved enjoy it. The fact they also learn valuable skills takes place in the background, obscured by the fact that it is a program where young men come together to help each other, to talk, and to listen, while always remaining “tough.â€