International Men’s Day is celebrated on 19th of November of every year as a special day to acknowledge the exemplary roles played by men in families and society as a whole. It is in fact, a day to appreciate the positive contributions men play in different fields of life-from work to home to the challenges men face across the world. This year’s theme is “Positive Male Role Models”. It focuses on open conversations about the mental wellbeing of men and working environments in which they thrive.
The idea of this day was proposed by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, who at the time was a professor in 1992. He wanted to create a day for the celebration of men’s achievements and raise awareness regarding their problems such as male health and gender-based violence as well as the need for positive role models. This was not a part of any competition but raising the voices that the world ignores – men’s.
With this theme for 2024, the year is supposed to shed light on mental health issues amongst men. Men have been stereotyped throughout the ages as tough and unemotional and their sensitivity has been suppressed. Thus, making them resistant towards asking for help. Therefore, many men suffer from depression and struggle with other mental health issues, which is alarmingly higher as compared to women. This day encourages men to open up, talk about their feelings and seek help when needed. True strength, after all, comes not from hiding emotions, but from being able to express and deal with them.
While the day highlights the struggles men face, it’s also a chance to celebrate the good things that they do every day. They play crucial roles as fathers, mentors, friends and community leaders. They work hard in their careers, care for their families and contribute to their communities in ways that are unseen. It reminds everyone that men, like every human being, deserve appreciation for their efforts behind the scenes. Behind every success story lie people—men not an exception—who have supported and believed in the individual’s journey.
A very important component of this includes the breaking of stereotypes and promoting gender equality. The expectations of being a breadwinner for the family is a pressure that pushes men to be relatively “less emotional.” Such pressures do take a huge toll on their mental health. This day takes us a step closer towards a fair world wherein both men and women are allowed to nurture all aspects of their personality and follow their hearts freely.
Such a day calls for positive male role models who prove that being a man has nothing to do with a box but everything to do with kindness, strength, and staying true to one’s self. These guys inspire and break the stereotypes of what a man is supposed to be. Men often bring joy into our lives through their sense of humor, dance moves or some quirky one-liners. We should remember that men also contribute to the further course of children and thus ought to be honored for their work.
International Men’s Day thus serves as a reminder that men need respect, recognition and support-not just today, on November 19, but every day. It stands for creating a world where men are valued and their work is recognized. Take some time today to appreciate the men in your life-from a simple thank you, shared laughter to a heartfelt move. It really means a lot to them!
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