As the world commemorates International Men’s Day, 80% of people do not know about this day. It is evident that in daily talks people don’t talk about men or boys as regularly as the women and girls, and this has diminished the place of men in different discussions.
The International Men’s Day-which was established in 1999 and is marked on 19th November annually-is celebrated to highlight the social issues men and boys face, celebrating men and boys in all diversity, making a difference for them in the community, highlighting the positive difference that men bring to the families and the society at large and the problems they face too.
The theme for International Men’s Day 2019 is ‘Making a Difference for Men and Boys’. It focuses on the need to value men and boys and to help make practical improvements in the health and well-being of men and boys globally.
Men tend to be the stronger sex, but they nonetheless go through a lot, albeit in silence. Even if one is going through difficulties in life it is rare for him to share and if one opts to share, he is told to man up and this may lead to serious consequences, particularly mental and psychological strains. One instance we can cite is in a family setting, where the man has a job, and his wife also has a job. But because the man has the role of being the lead provider, his money, even though it might be little, is placed on the family’s table while the wife’s money is wholly channeled to her, despite the fact hat the man may clearly require some help financially to cater for the kids.
Also, the playing field has shifted, and some men who are in their late 30s and 40s aren’t married yet, because they don’t have money. In today’s society, the man is being judged through the lens of how stacked they are financially, and this sin’t to be mistaken with financial stability, which is more understandable. So it’s a case of playing catch up for some men when it comes to fitting in because of the ‘useless’ money demands.
Coupled with that, men too suffer domestic violence, with cases not diminishing. However,they may opt to keep quiet about the issue. A man can’t open up and start telling the whole world how his wife beats him up for he perceives that the society will judge him and label him as ‘Not man enough’. There are even cases where men are killed by their spouses, with wealth inheritance theories in the middle of the scuffles and cases. A man marries a woman knowing that is a life partner as the two continue to stay together a woman starts calculating how she will own the material things without the man, opting to engineer his death in the end.
Let’s not forget how some men are denied their conjugal rights by their wives, but few manage to speak up. This may result from different reasons, with some ladies just being frank about it and others opting for multiple partners, shoving their husbands to the side.
Gender equality as it has been is mostly highlighted for the sake of women or the girl child only by different organizations, activists, right groups and even the media. This has led to a certain lull when it comes to representing issues affecting men. Apart from some of the aforementioned challenges, the contributions made by men in the society can’t be ignored. they are providers in the families, offer a loving, and comforting presence, and are role models to the kids, and this just in the family setting.
No matter what, the roles of a man can never be substituted. Even if some women try to compare themselves and match up to men, the role of the men and their position in society can’t be replicated.
