'Mates for life': Implicit Masculinity and Doing Support in Rural Men's Friendships

This thesis examines how rural men negotiate their masculinity in their male friendships and how these behaviours influence help-seeking in rural New Zealand. Drawing on qualitative interviews with rural men, the thesis introduces the concept of implicit masculinity to describe the subtle and often unacknowledged ideals that inform men’s behaviours, attitudes, and relationships. The findings demonstrate how implicit masculinity is produced through discourses of self-reliance, toughness, and vulnerability. These shape the ways rural men negotiate friendship and support. As a result, support is often communicated indirectly through humour, shared activities, and practicality rather than through explicit emotional disclosure. This thesis critiques a male deficit model of friendship and emotionality and argues that men’s friendships contain significant forms of emotional support and care that are often unrecognised within dominant analytical frameworks. As a result, many participants did not recognise their own practices of care and connection as forms of support. This thesis highlights the importance of adopting a male-centred approach to mental health that recognises the diverse ways men create, maintain, and experience supportive relationships.