International Men’s Day (IMD) is an annual observance, marked on the 19th of November every year, that aims to appreciate the role of men in the society and the different issues facing them as well as fostering of gender balance. Celebrated worldwide with most countries adopting a day, this day is not as much recognized as some other international observations yet its relevance keep advancing considering how the public discourse on issues like men’s wellbeing, health, emotional aspect, gender expectations, and gender roles among others is gaining topicality more often than not.
In this article we will analyze the history and the reasons why International Men’s Day is celebrated, the main themes that can be observed in the celebration of this day, the issues that men in today’s society face, and how as a society and a community, we can promote better health and equality and understanding for all people, irrespective of their gender.
The History and Purpose of International Men’s Day
The celebration of International Men’s Day took place for the very first time in the year 1992 in the country of Trinidad and Tobago. This was started by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, who is a history lecturer at the University of the West Indies. He wanted to foster the positive aspects of masculinity in society and how masculism can work towards achieving gender equality. The day, the 19th of November, was chosen to coincide with the birthday celebrations of his father, who greatly impacted his life as a man, in addition to celebrating the many men’s activism efforts in the world.
To begin with, IMD started being celebrated in many countries across the globe, however, it was not gain any fame or commemoration nor appreciation as much as that of the International Women’s day which falls on the 8th March every year. On the contrary, in the year of the twenty first century, the day has also been gaining ground with more and more countries and institutions and even communities of people endorsing its call. This reached its peak in 1999 when the said day received international recognition through the United Nations, making a transition on the way to an effective
understanding of men’s positive aspects and issues as global culturally conceived.
1. Celebrating Sound Expectations of Men: Toward understanding how men benefit their communities, families and even places of work.
2. Covering Problems of Men: Illustrating the problems of men such as mental health, violence, suicide rates, and social pressure.
3. Promoting Gender Equity: Promote the decoding of Gender equally, taking into account men and women’s needs, challenges and rights.
4. Encouraging Healthy Relations among Men and Women: Encouraging the development of positive masculinity without the stigma around emotions, vulnerability and building of networks and support groups.
Every year, the celebration of International Men’s Day is directed towards a certain theme, the focus of which is determined. For instance, themes such as “Better Health for Men” or “Positive Role Models” highlight certain dimensions of masculinity than others. These themes also help in offering a lift for many discussions which include men’s health issues, their respective social roles, and the difficulties they encounter in the ever changing world.
Celebrating Men’s Positive Contributions
On this day, we appreciate the numerous and positive impact men have in the world. In every aspect of life, be it as fathers, teachers, coaches, researchers, painters, physicians or even builders, they take part in very crucial aspects that often tend to be ignored.
1. The Role of Men within Families and Society: Every family structure has men who help in raising the children and assist their wives or partners in various activities. In this regard, male figures, together with their families, engage in relentless and vigorous provision, nurturance and protection to the youth. As technology and mankind have evolved, the malefemale roles have extended to encompass the roles of men as nurturing fathers and caregivers to their children or rather families with a purposeful and protective physician.
The men also participate outside their nuclear families. Many men, for instance, become volunteers, community leaders, or social activists at various capacities. In instances of calamities, it is the men who take charge, whether as paramedics, fire brigades, or humanitarian workers actively engaged in search and rescue missions or rehabilitation processes. Such immerging activities, however minute or grand they may be, are essential in the existence of active communities.
2. Contributions at Workplace – Distribution of Behavioral Tendencies: Activities within the domestic sphere are highly susceptible to sociocultural factors, which can limit the engagement of women and encourage the engagement of men in the activities and areas. Many men today still monopolize and control power and influence not only in politics and business but also in a broad range of fields that include science and technology. It is important to note that men do not occupy all the powerful and influential positions.
The picture is similar to that of the education sector, healthcare system, and even the arts where men have brought their learned skills, imagination, and effort towards creating a better society. Men have played significant roles in advancement of medicine as well. Men in medicine – scientific advancement in medicine and practice In the modern economy due to globalization and technology, men make up the largest percentage of entrepreneurs; thus, the economic increase.
The Challenges Men Face in Modern Society
The true meaning of International Men’s Day does not lie only in praising the positive aspects of men’s lives. It also highlights the challenges men experience, many of which are common but often ignored or misunderstood. There are cultures where men are expected to conform to certain standards, making them unhealthy practices which lead to other issues, both physical and social.
1. Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being: It is mental health that has become one of the primary issues of concern in the recent years. Most men are taught not to show their feelings but rather to face every challenge with a brave face. This unhealthy view of masculinity, which forbids weakness, causes a lot of suffering among such men in most instances. Studies show that men are less inclined to get help concerning mental health problems due to the existing stigma and the fear of being judged which is a major problem in treatment.
Also, many men have these mental health conditions, among them, depression, stress, and anxiety, but very few tend to voice them. The effects can be catastrophic, as there are instances when men are reported to commit suicide more as compared to women in almost all the countries across the globe. As for men’s health and well-being, one of the global concerns raised by the World Health organization (WHO) is that there is an over 70 percent recorded case of suicides which are determined to mostly belong to men.
International Men’s Day is also a day when the negative stereotyping of men should be discouraged in public and emotional health encouraged so that men could talk about their health issues and ask for help in case they need even if such help is related to mental health issues. Sponsored awareness on mental health for men, would address the stigma and help create an environment in which men can speak about their problems without fear of criticism.
2. Physical Health: When it comes to physical health, men also have some challenges, for instance, heart diseases, prostate cancer, and many other diseases are at a high rate. in the United States of America, as per the report of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), males are
Promoting Gender Equality and Healthy Masculinity
Certainly, International Men’s Day welcomes the consideration of issues affecting men and their experiences. Nevertheless, it is also knowing that this day is part of the larger agenda of gender equality. Gender equality is not all about empowering women; rather it is enabling every one irrespective of gender to act out their true selves without norms of society holding them back.
To this end, one of the most important agenda items remains the ability to promote healthy masculinity. In this case, healthy masculinity goes beyond limiting men to a few behaviours and emotions. It seeks a departure from toxic gender programmes that are often associated with ‘man up.’ It wants embracing feelings and relationships, as well as men and women taking equal share of responsibilities as workers or even in families. Healthy masculinity speaks towards equity in all relationships whether a man is with a spouse, child or workmate and promotes the opposition of actions that may cause disparity.
This is a unique opportunistic period for us to assess which steps can be taken in order to foster a healthier and more equitable environment for all irrespective of sex on International Men’s Day. Emphasizing the positive and appreciating the difficulties faced by males, we move closer to the vision of a world where all men and women are treated with fairness and respect as fundamental human beings.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
International Men’s Day is not merely a day dedicated to publicity stunts for men; it, rather, serves more purpose as self-assessment and activism towards bringing that change. While it is important to appreciate the positive role men play in the society, it is equally important to highlight the obstacles they come across and collectively work towards bringing up the society that does not discriminate based on gender, nurture everyone.
On this day, praise the fathers, the sons, the brothers, the mentors, and the citizens of the world who are making the world a healthier place. Let us also look forward to puncturing the unfortunate ideas of masculinity and urging proper masculinity. And most significantly, let us respect the psychological comfort of all men and wish for men to live truly instead of hiding behind the pretence of who they are not for fear of ridicule or even abuse.
Wishing you a very Happy International Men’s Day! We must keep fighting for an ever more understanding and all-embracing society.
