One world, one goal: Advocacy and policy for a unified Parkinson's response.

Perinatal loss profoundly impacts both expectant women and men, yet the experiences of men remain underexplored in literature. It has been widely documented that the feminization of perinatal loss is a significant contributor to the lack of acknowledgement, invalidation, and marginalization of male partners’ experiences within the healthcare system and wider society (; ; ; ; ). This invisibility, in turn, affects the availability and access to formal and informal grief programs and support for men coping with perinatal loss (; ; ; ). Evidence of this can be seen in Canada, as grief support services are widely available but predominantly tailored to women. Even where such support for men exists, it is unclear whether it considers the ways masculine expectations and cultural norms affect how men from different ethnoracial background process and respond to perinatal loss. Thus, the experiences of men navigating perinatal loss in the Canadian context remain a significant gap, warranting an investigation. While the grief after perinatal loss may affect all men, the degree of impact varies based on the individual's socio-cultural context. For Black men, grief after perinatal loss can be intensified by masculinity expectations, dominant stereotypes about Black men, and cultural norms that exist within communities. Perinatal loss has been predominantly framed as a woman's issue to the complete neglect of male partners, especially Black men, whose grief experiences intersect with their gender, racial, and cultural identity (; ; ; ). Traditionally, Black men have been socialized to show emotional restraint, a characteristic of their masculine identity that may discourage them from expressing grief (; ; ). This is compounded by racial stereotypes that portray Black men as stoic, emotionally resilient, and immune to pain interfere with Black men's ability to express emotional vulnerability and grief (; ; ). These experiences contrubutes to an internal struggle of reconciling their grief while attempting to conform to masculine and societal expectations (; ; ). This internal struggle, coupled with the already limited access to grief support may lead to Black men feeling disenfranchised and alienated in the grieving process. The transition to fatherhood is a vital part of men's identity, providing them with a sense of purpose as they perceive their role as protectors, providers, and leaders within their family (; ; ). As a result, fathers develop a strong connection with their unborn child, and this is often informed by their shared experiences with the partner's pregnancy journey and increased anticipation of welcoming a child (; ; ; ). For some Black men, aspirations of fatherhood are deeply connected to the preservation of family legacy (). Thus, the loss of a pregnancy can be particularly impactful for Black men, as it may challenge these deeply held aspects of their identity.