International Men's Day, November 19

iptba

I thought I'd set up a thread on this.

If anyone knows of any events or initiatives in Ireland please post them.

iptba

Information from the International Men's Day page: http://www.internationalmensday.com/

Our Theme for 2015

Make a Difference for Men and Boys

We welcome you to the International Men's Day global website.

Objectives of International Men's Day include a focus on men's and boy's health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care while highlighting the discrimination against them.

The November IMD is a significant date as it interfaces the popular 'Movember' charity event http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movember and also with Universal Children's Day http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/children_day/ on Nov 20 with which IMD forms a 48 hour celebration of men and children respectively, and of the special relationships they share.

The ability to sacrifice your needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood, as is honour. Manhood rites of passage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_passage the world over recognise the importance of sacrifice in the development of Manhood http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man.

Men make sacrifices everyday in their place of work, in their role as husbands and fathers, for their families, for their friends, for their communities and for their nation. International Men's Day is an opportunity for people everywhere of goodwill to appreciate and celebrate the men in their lives and the contribution they make to society for the greater good of all.

Methods of commemorating International Men's Day have included public seminars, conferences, festivals and fundraisers, classroom activities at schools, radio and television programs, Church observances, and peaceful displays and marches. The manner of observing this annual day is optional; any organizations are welcome to host their own events and any appropriate forums can be used.


International Men's Day is celebrated in over 60 countries of the world. Too many to list. Join us on November 19 in celebrating the contribution men and boys make to those around them, to their family and friends, their work place and the community, the nations and the world.

Dads4Kids is honoured to host the Men's Day website and we invite you to join the global celebrations. Anyone is welcome to quote material from this website (attribution to this website is required), as well as free and open use of our logo http://www.internationalmensday.com/logos.html and access to new posters http://www.internationalmensday.com/posters-and-logos.html in the Resource Section http://www.internationalmensday.com/resources.html.

Please also feel free to download and use our logos http://www.internationalmensday.com/logos.html.

iptba

International Men's Day 2015 Belfast City Council event:

International Men's Day (Thursday 19 th November) focuses on the health of men and boys, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to celebrate their achievements and contributions, while also highlighting the discrimination that they face. The theme for 2015 is 'Make a Difference for Men and Boys'. Belfast City Council is marking this day with a celebration in the City Hall from 9.30am - 12.30pm. For more information, contact Una Lappin, Health Equity Project Officer, at Tel: 02890 320202 ext 3777 | Email: lappinu@belfastcity.gov.uk

iptba

In the UK, there's going to be a debate in Westminster on International Men's Day

A Tory MP has finally been granted a debate in parliament on International Men’s Day after he sparked a major row over the issue two weeks ago.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/a-tory-mp-has-finally-got-his-international-mens-day-debate#.pb6APlA1E

iptba

Some hashtags that are being used are:
#InternationalMensDay
#MensDay19Nov
#IMD2015

kieranfitz

Its also my birthday. YAY DOUBLE PRESENTS.

NachoBusiness

These kind of days annoy me tbh.

Don't mind Father's Day, Mother's Day etc but a day dedicated to half the planet seems a little ridiculous.

Sleepy

Meh, everyone knows the *REAL* men's day is March 14th.

Darkglasses

NachoBusiness wrote: »

These kind of days annoy me tbh.

Don't mind Father's Day, Mother's Day etc but a day dedicated to half the planet seems a little ridiculous.

It seems to be mainly a day focussed on raising debates and conversations in public that ordinarily get swept under the rug, so I'm all in favour of it.

One eyed Jack

Darkglasses wrote: »

It seems to be mainly a day focussed on raising debates and conversations in public that ordinarily get swept under the rug, so I'm all in favour of it.

But shouldn't men be doing that every day?

I'm with Nacho on this one tbh. I don't need a "special day" to advocate for men's welfare.


It's my birthday and all and I couldn't care too much about that either tbh :rolleyes:

efb

Men's rights re access to their children I support. Mysogonistic bs I do not.

Sleepy

Where on earth are you seeing misogyny in this?

I'm no great fan of "International Woman's Day" either but I'd hardly call it Misandrist?

efb

I have seen people and websites use it to promote mysoginistic agendas

Like all days it can be exploited

iptba

Sample event, from Canada:

Men's mental health focus of upcoming event

Nov. 19 marks International Men's Day, and falls right in the middle of "Movember" - a worldwide intitiative that began as a way to fight prostate cancer but has since expanded to deal with all men's health issues - including mental health.

To mark the day, the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge, Kawartha Sexual Assault, The John Howard Society, the Peterboroug Police Service and Fleming College's Men of Strength Team have come together to create a special event called Puzzled? Putting the Pieces Together of Men's Mental Health.

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2015/10/30/mens-mental-health-focus-of-upcoming-eventoneplan

iptba

(UK, or possibly Scottish (??) survey)

Report finds 42% of men aged 18-45 have contemplated suicide
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/1331939-report-finds-42-of-men-aged-18-45-have-contemplated-suicide/

Article ends:

Calm is currently running a campaign, Bigger Issues, to raise awareness of male suicide.

The charity said it hopes to promote an open conversation about the issue. The campaign will culminate on International Men's Day on November 19.

iptba

Found an event in the Republic of Ireland:

Pieta House announces 'The Bounce Of The Ball' - a free event in Dublin on Thursday 19th November to coincide with International Men's Day.

The event - hosted by JOE.ie editor Paddy McKenna - will take place in Blas Café at The Chocolate Factory on King's Inn Street between 7pm and 9pm.

[..]

The guests will take the mic about how 'The Bounce Of The Ball' has either favoured or gone against them throughout their life and how they've navigated their way through the ups and the downs of life.

Continues at:


http://www.joe.ie/life-style/get-free-tickets-for-the-bounce-of-the-ball-next-thurday-in-dublin/519287

Salvation Tambourine

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/nov/17/row-after-university-of-york-cancels-international-mens-day-event

This is nonsense.

This paragraphy in particular I don't understand

"We also believe that there is a significant reputational risk to the university in aligning itself with International Men’s Day - an event which has not been without significant controversy.[3] The homepage of the global website for International Men’s Day states: ‘The ability to sacrifice your needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood, as is honour. Manhood rites of passage the world over recognise the importance of sacrifice in the development of Manhood.’[4] Retrograde statements like this show a profound lack of understanding on issues surrounding masculinity"

Where in that quoted line does it say that men have to be tough hard men that can't have feelings as the "Retrograde statements like this show a profound lack of understanding on issues surrounding masculinity" suggests?

If you substituted Womenhood for Manhood I would still read it as it as I believe it was meant, women make sacrifices for the good of others.

And in fairness, over the course of history millions of men have given their lives for the good of others.

I would understand anger if it was a day celebrating inequality or something that could be slightly frowned upon but this day has nothing to do with women.

Until I read the open letter I didn't know that International Men's Day was "without it's controversy". Talk about wanting to piss on people's parades. As far as I know, it's a day to talk about issues surrounding men, not a day to declare supiriority.

Pepe LeFrits

A university spokesperson said: “We have withdrawn the original statement about International Men’s Day, and do not propose to mark this event formally. In gender equality, our main focus has been, and will continue to be, on the inequalities faced by women, such as under-representation in the professoriate.

Says it all, really.

tritium

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Says it all, really.

Just to note, there is a petition linked in the guardian article that anyone can sign. Its not quite at a thousand signatures yet, but anyone who is interested can support this.....

cowboyBuilder

Today we take back our pride in being Men ...

Great being a man


I love it !!

One eyed Jack

cowboyBuilder wrote: »

Today we take back our pride in being Men ...

Great being a man


I love it !!

I never lost it in the first place

I agree with the rest though

citytillidie

This is what they should be tackling today

ancapailldorcha

MPs are debating this in Parliament today:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/news-parliament-2015/mps-debate-male-suicide-and-international-mens-day/

ancapailldorcha

2 good pieces from The Economist:

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21652323-blue-collar-men-rich-countries-are-trouble-they-must-learn-adapt-weaker-sex?fsrc=scn%2Ffb%2Fte%2Fpe%2Fed%2Ftheweakersex

The Economist wrote:

AT FIRST glance the patriarchy appears to be thriving. More than 90% of presidents and prime ministers are male, as are nearly all big corporate bosses. Men dominate finance, technology, films, sports, music and even stand-up comedy. In much of the world they still enjoy social and legal privileges simply because they have a Y chromosome. So it might seem odd to worry about the plight of men.

Yet there is plenty of cause for concern. Men cluster at the bottom as well as the top. They are far more likely than women to be jailed, estranged from their children, or to kill themselves. They earn fewer university degrees than women. Boys in the developed world are 50% more likely to flunk basic maths, reading and science entirely.

One group in particular is suffering (see article). Poorly educated men in rich countries have had difficulty coping with the enormous changes in the labour market and the home over the past half-century. As technology and trade have devalued brawn, less-educated men have struggled to find a role in the workplace. Women, on the other hand, are surging into expanding sectors such as health care and education, helped by their superior skills. As education has become more important, boys have also fallen behind girls in school (except at the very top). Men who lose jobs in manufacturing often never work again. And men without work find it hard to attract a permanent mate. The result, for low-skilled men, is a poisonous combination of no job, no family and no prospects.

And linked there:

http://www.economist.com/news/essays/21649050-badly-educated-men-rich-countries-have-not-adapted-well-trade-technology-or-feminism

Gaygooner

Good day for men to check their balls etc for lumps

ancapailldorcha

Looks like Twitter has turned on the University of York:

The Independent wrote:

A petition calling for the University of York to reinstate International Men’s Day (IMD) has garnered thousands of signatures as Twitter condemnation of its controversial decision to cancel commemorations rages on.

Ruth Morris - a sociology graduate from the university - took to Change.org to hit out at the institution for making a U-turn on its original plan to celebrate the day after around 200 staff, students, and alumni wrote an open letter to the equality and diversity committee, saying they were “deeply concerned” by the university’s decision to mark IMD.

The letter said: “We believe men’s issues cannot be approached in the same way as unfairness and discrimination towards women, because women are structurally unequal to men.

There is a poll which currently shows 91% of respondents think that cancelling it was the wrong decision which is encouraging. Here is a link:

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/twitter-users-condemn-university-of-york-for-cancelling-international-men-s-day-as-petition-gathers-a6740771.html?utm_source=change_org&utm_medium=petition

tritium

Really good piece on rte website discussing the negativity around international men's day by some groups....

http://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/living/2015/1120/747938-controversy-over-international-mens-day/

iptba

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Looks like Twitter has turned on the University of York:

Originally Posted by The Independent
A petition calling for the University of York to reinstate International Men’s Day (IMD) has garnered thousands of signatures as Twitter condemnation of its controversial decision to cancel commemorations rages on.

Ruth Morris - a sociology graduate from the university - took to Change.org to hit out at the institution for making a U-turn on its original plan to celebrate the day after around 200 staff, students, and alumni wrote an open letter to the equality and diversity committee, saying they were “deeply concerned” by the university’s decision to mark IMD.

The letter said: “We believe men’s issues cannot be approached in the same way as unfairness and discrimination towards women, because women are structurally unequal to men.

There is a poll which currently shows 91% of respondents think that cancelling it was the wrong decision which is encouraging. Here is a link:

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/twitter-users-condemn-university-of-york-for-cancelling-international-men-s-day-as-petition-gathers-a6740771.html?utm_source=change_org&utm_medium=petition

From the Independent article

One wrote: “For the university to have a week to celebrate women's issues and not a single day for men is bloody disgraceful.”

(I haven't tried to verify this myself).

iptba

Daily Telegraph, Nov 17

How can we help men talk if we won’t talk about men’s issues?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/how-can-we-help-men-talk-if-we-wont-talk-about-mens-issues/

Extract:

This isn’t idle conjecture. One of the key pieces of research on men’s help-seeking behaviour, by Addis and Mahalik, concluded that men find it easier to seek help when the problem they are dealing with is socially accepted.