All of us present here, claim ourselves to be a part of modern society. However, do we really understand the meaning of what it is to be called as ‘modern’? It signifies that we are an open-minded citizen and take up pride in having our own choice. Unlike the conservative society, we believe that achievement of all genders deserves equality in the society. Many of us have heard of international women’s day, but do we all know that we celebrate international men’s day as well? Well, the answer is usually a big emphatic NO! Just like International Day of Girls and International Women’s Day where we celebrate the achievements of women around the globe, as well as reflect and expand their efforts for equality, the International Men’s Day is all about the same. It is an occasion to highlight the importance of men’s rights and to celebrate their achievements and contributions. This need hasn’t been recognised by everyone yet, mainly because some men picturise it to be rallying against the forces of feminism (‘feminazism,’ as some people call it).
This year’s theme for International Men’s day is “Men’s health is worse than Women’s”. Men, of course, are as plagued by a prospect of ‘masculinity’ as women across the globe are. All over the world, 81% of suicides reported are committed by men and is the biggest killer of young men. It has gripped society to a point that it strangles men’s confidence in seeking help and creates a conflict between what is ‘masculine’ — what is socially acceptable for a man to do.
It was a usual day while I was traveling in the Delhi Metro, I heard a mother saying to her kid, “Ladke rotey nahi hai”, which just created an impact on my mind. Why? Don’t we as men have rights to showcase our emotion and feelings in front of anyone? According to a recent study conducted by Time to Change, half of the teenage boys say that they could not talk to their fathers about stress, anxiety, and depression as it would be too awkward. Approximately 54% of teenage boys who have faced a mental health problem ‘put a brave face on it’ or kept it to themselves. Is this the legacy we want to leave for our next generations?
Many people, though knowledgeable try to get a quick turn down on this topic when it comes to the discussion, without knowing that it’s a serious issue. It’s high time and we all should talk about it.
Let’s hope for a day when we can truly ‘celebrate’ being human together – ending all kind of discrimination based on gender and find our common cause in achieving gender equality and social justice for all.
Meet the author:
Amarpreet Singh is a Startup Scientist who’s passionate about building human connections & inspiring people to do amazing things. Founder & Director of Brandlitic (startup aimed at simplifying branding solutions across the globe) and a problem solver at heart.
Please note: The views, opinions and beliefs expressed by the authors in the articles on the blog are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect those of Lean In India.