“Big Dan” Repacholi always eats large burgers – but after a major health kick which saw him lose more than 30 kg, he is at a sandwich per session, of his previous three.
After a period when he admits that he was “embarrassed” to visit his doctor, the affable and popular member of Hunter was appointed special envoy of the federal government for the health of men and is in crusade to obtain guys and boys to talk about their problems with health professionals and their families.
For the Labor MP for the second mandate, it meant talking to friends and doctors to eat healthier. For other men in Australia, as Repacholi said to Guardian Australia in a reverent and frank interview, this can mean talking about mental health, sexual health or toxic masculinity.
“It’s about bringing the conversation between guys, saying” I just went and I had a heart health exam today, and what do you know? ” They really found something, ”he says.
“On the side of mental health, there are so many, so many men and boys who have trouble. But it is also a question of teaching boys and young adolescents the good level of masculinity, through schools too, on what is acceptable and what is not. ”
“Talk to 50 guys, especially those who are a little older, they always think that you have to put a finger in the ass to obtain a prostate check; They do not realize that it is a simple blood test.
Repacholi, standing two meters high with a large bushy beard, came to the last parliament after a life working in the mining industry of Hunter Valley and a sparkling career in the shooting of Pistol as an old champion of the Olympi games and Commonwealth. Beloved around Canberra, he is known to have produced an annual calendar with photos of him Eat big burgers in the Hunter region; But he admits that he gave himself up to an excess, appreciating in particular the KFC and ending the remains of the dinner of his family.
“I arrived at 152 kilos,” explains Repacholi. “It is the biggest I have ever been. And I have always been a big guy – I don’t remember seeing big (size shirts), I only see X
“I was walking in the street in Cessnock, and I saw myself in a window … and I said to myself:” Fucking fucking, look at what extent you are big. ” »»
Repacholi says he spoke to two doctors of the Caucus du Travail, Mike Freelander and Gordon Reid, admitting that he was looking for “a quick solution”. Repacholi is open to use injectable weight management drugs, but he was told to go see your doctor for a weight loss plan.
“I was embarrassed to go see my doctor because I had become so tall,” he said. “I did not talk to anyone at the beginning … But then I thought it would be fine, I will try.”
Now, after having dropped a large amount of weight, helped by a gym training plan and a healthy diet, Repacholi says that he wants to share his story in the hope of being an example for other men who feel sheepish to ask for help.
“I thought we should have these conversations, and I should talk to people about it, because there could be millions of people like me embarrassed to go see their doctor,” he said.
“If an elected official cannot have these conversations, how do you expect what George, or Tom or Craig in the street can?”
The annual hamburgers calendar, Repacholi laughs, is safe and will continue.
Appointed in the role of envoy last month, working under the Minister of Health, Mark Butler, Repacholi takes it with abandonment. Last week was the week of male health, and Repacholi – already known for his wacky and enthusiastic presence on social networks – published videos on Call Butler for a good night’s recording And a meme on erectile dysfunction.
“Or as some of us call it:” the old guy who takes place early “”, repacholi postersaying that men “should discuss more”.
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The deputy affirms that his plea role will cover all aspects of the health of men, physical and mind. He points to ShedIncluding virtual groups and Facebook groups, such as avenues, he thinks, works well, but has raised concerns about how adolescents learned relationships.
“Most young boys discover sex through porn. They are not taught at school. Their first meetings in something as it turns to online porn, and it can fall down the different rabbit warrens that you don’t want to open it, “he said.
“It is a question of teaching them to respect women, to respect women, to respect girls or to respect any partner she has.”
The portfolio of social services, under former Minister Amanda Rishworth and the new Minister Tanya Plibersk, has been working for some time on problems of healthy relations, domestic violence and masculinity, with a particular concern concerning “human rights” on social media perpetuating toxic attitudes towards sexual and gender. Repacholi says that this will be part of his goal, working with social services.
“If we can put these young boys on the right track at school by learning what is the right level of healthy masculinity, we are on a winner,” he said.
“If they can see that if they treat someone like some of these people (good influencers of men) have been, they have no respect.
“It’s a difficult and difficult conversation. There is no doubt about it. And we are always going to have people like that in the world that will say that.
“But I hope that young boys can see that it is not the right way.”