Illustration by Emelyne

Starting a new chapter in life is never easy, especially when you’re transitioning from being a student to a “fully functioning” working adult. Frankly, it’s scary. A new environment, a new schedule—there are just so many things to adapt to and it’s not a piece of cake. In times of distress like this, there are a few key people you could potentially turn to. Maybe it’s a loved one or a passing stranger. However, it could also be an industry mentor. Well, if you’re interested in the media industry, you’re in the right place! Everybody, get ready to go on air! Come and learn insights on the media industry with Ms Jay Jamalina Mohamad Jamali, a veteran radio host and broadcast presenter.

About 20 years ago, Jay was a media rookie. In fact, she had no prior ambition to enter the media industry. Having studied Biology, Jay’s dream was to become a veterinarian but life had different plans. After wrapping up her studies, her father saw an ad on TV from the major media company, Media Prima. They were holding a competition to look for talents across the country to find the next broadcast journalist. That marked the beginning for Jay.

At first, she struggled greatly. Starting from zero, most of her training and knowledge came from her own determination and self-studying—some of which happened in a random stairwell next to a storeroom. Despite this though, Jay never gave up. She stayed resilient, a trait she emphasised as important in the media industry. In this new setting, Jay was more driven than ever. Having been a pioneering member of Media Prima’s first radio station, Hot FM, she wanted to expand her horizons further. That was when she started auditioning to become a news presenter for TV. Landing a news presenter role is not easy. Jay highlighted that to get accepted into a TV role, presenters generally require a certain look and voice. However, Jay persevered on. She went to audition after audition and finally struck gold. After three years of unwavering persistence, they gave her a chance. And decades later, to this day, she’s still on air as a news presenter. 

“It’s all in the voice”. The way you express a story or news, whether it be positive or negative, is of utmost importance for both radio and TV according to Jay. However, with TV, there are added layers to it. From your facial expression to the way you carry yourself, there are more things to be aware of—more outlets to express yourself and your emotions. Each story she has to present is different, making her emotions feel like a rollercoaster ride with highs and lows. Jay admitted that occasionally, she cries. Over the years, she has learnt how to run her emotions but certain stories, especially those about children, hit her like a truck, considering Jay herself is a mother. Keeping her emotions in check was an area Jay previously struggled with. This was a newfound benefit of being in the media industry for Jay. She loves being able to be in charge of her emotions. Jay says it truly comes in handy when dealing with unfavourable people or pressuring situations. Being patient and practising empathy with people around her has helped her stay level in her decision-making and leadership skills. 

Over the years, Jay has lived and learned. She stressed the importance of staying humble and not assuming you know more than others. Asking guidance from others and asking “silly” questions are essential for growing into the person you want to be. When she was still fresh-faced, she pushed herself beyond the limit. Working day to night, some days starting before the sun rises and ending after the sky darkens. One thing Jay has come to realise? Sleep is essential. “How am I supposed to be a team leader if I don’t feel my best because I didn’t get enough sleep”. Emphasising the importance of health, Jay is also a mental health aider at Media Prima Audio. Calming yourself down after a rough day, whether through deep breaths or an activity like yoga helps keep her grounded and ready for whatever’s to come. 

Being in the media industry is tough, you need a strong spirit to survive. Nonetheless, it continues to be extremely rewarding for Jay. She gets to be the messenger of news and stories, she’s the one who gets to announce them for the world to hear. It’s a very special role to play and it makes Jay feel happy and fulfilled. She loves delivering all sorts of news and stories to the public but a highlight for her is when she covers sports, particularly Formula One. Prior, Jay didn’t know anything about the realm of sports but to present news about it, she had to learn. From badminton, football, tennis and more, anytime she had to cover a sporting event, she would learn about the sport she was covering. Covering sports news is almost like a challenge that Jay loves! This is further apparent when she’s on the ground doing fieldwork. When announcing, you have to know technical terms relating to the sport well yet present it in a way that is easy for viewers and the public to follow. This never fails to excite her. Additionally, she loves gaining a new interest in an area she hasn’t previously explored beforehand. A notable example of this would be when she had to go to Sepang Circuit to cover a MotoGP (Grand Prix motorcycle racing) event. 

Additionally, Jay also kindly shared some tips and tricks for aspiring students:

Jay also shared some of her own insights—the importance of vocal techniques. Everyone doesn’t groggily wake up from bed only to have their voice ready to go. You have to warm up your voice, whether it’s first thing in the morning or on the way to work. The vocal exercises Jay shared were ideal for this. “Ka-Ga-Ha”, “Ma-Ma-Ma” and “Ya-Yo-Ye” are among the many keys to make sure your voice and enunciation are good to go! And the last? The one takeaway Jay wishes someone takes from her experience and life is to always be resilient, persistent and patient, in all that you do. “It goes a long way,” so don’t be afraid. Go for it because you never know what might happen when you try.

Even though many reading this are not currently studying to be in the media industry, I strongly believe much of the advice Jay shared can be applied to almost any field. In today’s competitive job market, a thought rings loudly, it’s common for fresh graduates and current students to feel intimidated when wanting to speak up or apply for an opportunity. Fear of getting reprimanded, disappointment and failure—these emotions and thoughts are normal for everyone, no matter the age. However, through Jay’s words and stories, it feels as if a big sister, who’s experienced multiple ups and downs in life, is guiding you, encouraging you to give it your all and try your best. So, it’s okay to fall a little, there will be people who will be more than glad to hold your hand to help you stand. I truly hope Jay’s personal experiences, advice and guidance have touched you all as it has touched me. In the future, I hope when you turn the pages back to this chapter in your life, you smile because it happened.

Hence, in honour of World Men’s Day, Taylor’s Speaker’s Corner collaborated with Men Against Toxic Masculinity (MATM) in an open mic session. This event cultivated a virtual community where participants can freely exchange their views about toxic masculinity.

Founded in 2018, MAT organized workshops to help people realize the flexibility of the word ‘masculinity’. They regularly organize a men’s healing group where they would meet up to discuss masculinity and the issues surrounding it. It is a safe space for people to be free from society's unfortunate stigma.

The night began with Rizal Rozhan, the co-founder of MAT, making a distinction between the terms ‘masculinity’ and ‘patriarchy’.

According to Google, he said, masculinity is defined as “the qualities or attributes regarded as characteristics of men”. On the other hand, ‘patriarchy’ refers to a system or a government whereby men hold supremacy over women and exclude them from important decisions.

Rizal also highlighted that the word ‘masculinity’ has a loose meaning as different individuals may come from different standpoints. For example, a man deemed ‘masculine’ may be depicted as someone who is aggressive or rough for one, or kind and gentle for another.

“No matter what they tell us, patriarchy and masculinity are not the same,” expressed Dorian Wilde, a human rights activist and organiser of Taylor’s Speaker’s Corner.

The panelists went on to share what they believe toxic masculinity is in a nutshell.

“One of the many toxic masculinity traits is impunity. They feel like they can do whatever they want without being held accountable,” said Rizal. “No one in their right mind should have this kind of thinking.”

“I think one of the main parts of it is shame,” added Dorian. “It’s the basis of why we as men don’t change.”

Source: Future Women

With the commonization of toxic masculinity, men have also started to adopt the ‘bro code’, a common friendship etiquette which consists of unwritten rules that are to be observed within the social circles of men.

“Every time we question the norm or the ‘bro code’, it’s a form of resistance to these existing structures that have been causing a lot of harm to those who don’t conform to these norms,” said Gavin Chow, an LGBTIQ+ community organiser.

Jannah, an active audience member, described how she felt women contributed to toxic masculinity too. “I know some girls who actually desire this kind of inappropriate attention from guys. We always talk about how men are acting out toxic masculinity, but we don’t think about how women support these ideals as well,” Jannah pointed out.

The crowd also had the opportunity to hear from Sabrina Aripen, founder of SERATA, who openly shared her struggles of dealing with domestic violence from her ex-husband.

“When I did better than him in my subjects while he kept failing, that was when I saw how toxic masculinity contributes to domestic violence, like these expectations of how women should not overstep men and not be so verbal,” she said.

Source: Teen Vogue

“Repression is one of the behaviours often seen in men. They are afraid of judgement. They are afraid of being laughed at. They are afraid of losing power. The inability to express these insecurities and always finding the need to prove themselves in a certain way,” said Kok Sen Wai, a psychiatrist and a member of MATM, who lives by his motto ‘I’m secure so I don’t care’.

With a similar spirit, he also spoke about how men at times act in denial — a result of them not being frank with their concealed thoughts.

“Usually when we do couples’ therapy, I would ask the couple: ‘Why don’t we have a talk with you and your significant other during office hours?’” he explained. “I realised that a lot of these men refused to come because they feel that they do not need the help.”

Rizal suggested that these men could seek help from people they are close to as it is harder for them to open up to strangers.

The blend of insights we’ve received from our speakers has truly illuminated the dark side of masculinity that is rarely brought up during conversations between Malaysians. “With MATM, we wanted to create a support system,” said Rizal. “A lot of men are alien to this concept. Simply challenging them to think differently would be very, very difficult. Unfortunately, the only way to change them is through the people who are close to them.”

Source: The Guardian

To anyone who is struggling with voicing out their problems, it’s important that we form bonds with a trusted community, a group who listens to what we unapologetically have to share.

As Ibnu Mohammed so eloquently put it: “It is time for us to embrace our vulnerabilities. Let’s see everything just as we are, as plain humans, so that everything is on equal ground.”

Firstly, don’t be afraid to speak out against acts of toxic masculinity. In doing so, we make the perpetrator feel uncomfortable and question their actions before possibly damaging words leave their mouth the next time.

It is only by giving will you receive. You may contribute to this issue by participating in events like charities or volunteer work, which will bring us all closer to a world without toxic masculinity.

Finally, you may promote awareness through social media. In our era of globalisation, social media is undoubtedly the most efficient way to spread publicity as it’s a privilege that hundreds of millions have access to. Bringing people together is just one step away from solving this deeply rooted issue that has been plaguing our society. If you are just starting on your journey, consider things like starting a hashtag or forwarding a post to a friend.

In the words of Barack Obama: “All of us have to recognize that being a man is first and foremost being a good human. If you’re confident about your strength, you don’t need to show it by putting somebody else down; show it by lifting somebody else up.”

In conclusion, we cannot solve the issue of toxic masculinity by shying away from it. It all starts with you. Now, how would you like to redefine masculinity?

For those who are interested, here’s a list of resources for further reading.

● What Is Toxic Masculinity?

● The Fantastic Masculinity of Newt Scamander

● Man Enough: The Series (Season 1)

If you’d like to learn more about MATM, feel free to contact Rizal Rozhan at +60133488483 or find him on Twitter @RizalRozhan.

A heavy topic was brought onto the stage during Taylor’s Speaker’s Corner on the 23rd of October. “Clarity on Disparity” talks about the global issue of economic disparity. Did you know that the world’s richest 1% own 44% of global wealth, while 56.6% of the world population holds less than 2%? This value is staggering. We tackle the implications of this value and what we can do about it with Prof. Dr. Jomo, Mr. Sivarajan, Ms. Archana and last but not least, Mr. Calvin Tan with Ms. Karen Grace Prince, a journalism student at Taylor’s University and the secretary of Taylor's Lakeside Model United Nations Club as our narrator.

  Before getting carried away with infinite possibilities and theories, let’s listen to a tale not too far from us. 

A tale grounded in the roots of aspirations and ambitions; Vanajah’s tale. 

2020 has seen an interesting, if not a little outrageous shift in Malaysian politics. The people have witnessed an abrupt change of government, the dismantling of various political alliances, as well as the possible formation of a youth-led coalition. As these political uncertainties build up, and many people, especially the youth, have felt that it is time for true government reform. 

Arguably, there is no better time for youths to enter the political sphere. Recent years have seen the rise of young politicians such as Finland’s Sanna Marin, who became the world’s youngest Prime Minister, and US Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who defeated a 10-term incumbent through a grassroots campaign.