Author Opens Conversation on Men’s Mental Health Through New Book, “If Men Could Talk.”
Loraine Phiri
A young Zimbabwean author, Langelihle Bhule, is using literature to spark conversations around men’s mental health, an issue she says is often overlooked despite its growing impact on families and communities.
Bhule made the remarks during a Matebeleland Pulse WhatsApp discussion hosted by Tendai under the theme, “Exploring the book If Men Could Talk: Conversations We Need,” where she spoke about the inspiration behind her newly released novel, If Men Could Talk.
The author said the book was written to challenge silence around the emotional struggles men face and to encourage society to treat men’s pain with the same seriousness as other mental health concerns.
“The world speaks so loudly about women’s pain and rightly so, but somewhere along the way, we decided that empathy is a limited resource. It is not,” Bhule said during the discussion.
She added: “I wrote this book because I believe a man’s tears are not a disgrace. They are a weight that should be taken seriously.”
Bhule said her motivation came from observing the rise in cases of men taking their own lives, often without meaningful public discussion on the pressures they face.
She noted that the effects of such tragedies ripple through families, leaving wives without husbands, children without fathers and mothers without sons.
“The rise of men’s suicide cases and us paying no heed like it does not affect our families… that is what first led me to tackle the issue,” she said.
The novel explores difficult themes including domestic violence against men, marital infidelity, manipulation, child bullying, HIV diagnosis, suicide and murder. Bhule emphasized that these subjects were not chosen for sensationalism but because they reflect real experiences often hidden from public conversation.
“These are not topics I chose for shock value. They are topics I chose because they are real. And pretending they do not happen helps no one,” she said.
The discussion also highlighted the unusual perspective of a female author writing extensively about men’s pain. Bhule said some critics have accused her of taking sides in gender debates, but she rejects that interpretation.
“This is not a war. This is a conversation,” she said. “My goal is not to speak for men entirely, it is to create a space where men can recognise themselves and feel seen.”
Bhule, who said her writing journey began during the COVID-19 lockdown, described her career path as unexpected in a society where creative arts are often not regarded as a serious profession.
“In Zimbabwe, as in many places, creativity is not seen as a real career,” she said, adding that she has learned to pursue her vision despite criticism. “The world does not support what it does not understand.”
The author said she hopes the book will help men embrace their humanity and seek healing, while also encouraging communities to raise sons differently and create healthier conversations around masculinity.
If Men Could Talk is available through the author directly and on Amazon.
