International Men’s Day is held annually on 19 November. It is an opportunity to celebrate men and boys in all their diversity.
Many people also use the day to highlight some of the key social issues that men and boys around the world face. In Australia, these “men’s issues” include the fact that:
- 3 out of 4 suicides are men
- 2 out of 3 violent deaths are men
- Men die 6 years younger than women on average
- Boys underperform girls at every stage of education
- Dads who want to be more involved in their children’s lives face a range of barriers
Despite the overwhelming evidence that men and boys face a range of issues related to their physical, mental and social health and welling, many people still persist in promoting a range rigid gender stereotypes and clichés like:
- “Man Up”
- “Boys don’t cry”
- “Men and boys don’t need help” and
- “Every day is International Men’s Day”
The fact is, every day isn’t International Men’s Day, only 19 November is International Men’s Day.