Asturias men seeking to deconstruct themselves: 'Part of masculinity has to go'

A group of men in Asturias, Spain, meets regularly to 'deconstruct' their masculinity. Critics denounce public subsidies and propaganda. New therapy or waste of money?

English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published

Male 'deconstruction' in Asturias: emotional therapy or subsidized racket?

In Asturias, Spain, a group of men meets regularly to "deconstruct" their masculinity: they talk in private, without women, trying to tear down cultural barriers that prevent them from expressing emotions. The initiative, reported by El Comercio on April 15, 2026, has triggered a fierce reaction. Accusations of being a "subsidized racket" are raining down from all sides. The dividing question: is this a legitimate pursuit of emotional well-being or a waste of public money on ideological propaganda?


The official plan: men who want to cry freely

According to the report, the participants are men of different ages and professions, some from rural areas such as Cabranes. They meet to "blow up cultural barriers" and express their weaknesses. The description sounds like a support group, but without women: a male emotional bubble. Journalist Azahara Villacorta presents it as a growing phenomenon. However, neither she nor the outlet provide cost figures or funding sources. That silence is what has set off the alarms.


The economic reality: subsidies and public fury

Skepticism was not long in coming. "Without public money they would deflate," sums up the prevailing mood. The suspicion that these groups live off public subsidies is unanimous among critics: "Every subsidy they can get their hands on," "the golden goose of pogre associations." The initiative is ridiculed as "budsensbud" or "jerking off with buddies," and compared with "de-empowering" courses for men. The Asturian mining basin, once a symbol of working-class masculinity, appears as a contrast: "Goodness me, where did it all go." Critics see here proof of the failure of the proge narrative, spending that convinces no one outside the circle.


The question left hanging: how much does the deconstruction of a few cost the taxpayer? While some say spend on emotional well-being, others see unnecessary spending on an ideology nobody is buying anymore. The debate, like the group, seems to have no end date.

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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (29 replies).

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