For many Black men, it feels safer than speaking up, safer than admitting fear, safer than facing what might be wrong inside their bodies. Prostate cancer.

We have all heard the saying, “Tough it out.” It’s a phrase often passed down from generation to generation, a hallmark of what it means to be a man in many cultures.

As Black men, we are often taught to be tough, to endure, and to keep moving forward—no matter the cost. In fact, for generations, we’ve been conditioned to keep our struggles.