We celebrate so many festivities, relationships and traditions on special days. Is International Men’s Day just a celebration of men, or is there more to it than what meets the eye?
Masculinity, defined as, ‘the quality or nature of the male sex’ by the Merriam Webster Dictionary has synonyms ranging from, macho, strength to even red-blooded, powerful. These synonyms are a subtle reflection of the deep rooted stereotypes that we characterize with men.
These stereotypes have not risen recently, they have been a part of our society and culture from several centuries. In my humble opinion, the notions which we, as a society tend to associate specifically with respect to one’s gender are nothing but apathetic definitions, which are a result of indifference. Hence, a day like the International Men’s Day is necessary to construct more positive role models, inclusive of all men, rather than succumbing to negative gender stereotypes as a society. The Day originated in the year 1995, and is now being internationally celebrated since 1999. The day is crucially important, since the purpose of the Day is to raise awareness to men’s mental and physical health, promote positive masculinity, and support ethical male role models.
Each year, a different theme is celebrated to have a more nuanced discussion and celebration of a particular aspect. The theme for International Men's Day 2020 is "Better health for men and boys". The theme this year focuses on improvement and enhancement of health and wellbeing of the male population across the world. In terms of health, some alarming statistics reflect how men suffer in terms of life expectancy, mental health and more. According to National Today, 76% of the suicides are by men and 22% males experience Mental Health problems every year.
What can we do to celebrate the day? We need to remind ourselves of the varying kinds of issues faced by men of all across the globe, irrespective of their backgrounds and ethnicities. We need to try to celebrate all men to the same degree and voice the challenges they face. We can redefine masculinity in our way, and encourage the men around us to share their feeling about the same. Having more conversations is the first step towards raising awareness. We need to keep in mind that this day is another step towards gender equality. It is a powerful step towards encouraging healthy relations amongst all genders and voicing the vices which are not usually done so.
Let’s do our part, let’s recognize where we’re going wrong and work towards it. Let’s uplift each other.
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