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Revision as of 03:13, 5 December 2008 edit123.211.81.249 (talk) reword← Previous edit Revision as of 03:23, 5 December 2008 edit undo123.211.81.249 (talk) A formal, published MHWA letter is a reliable source. The statements mirror exactly thise made by the authors. I will tweak a little.Next edit →
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International Men’s Day is "anti-] Men’s organisations should not promote nor support an International Men’s Day. Nor should other organisations offer their support to such an event."<ref>Flood, M., International Men’s Day: An open letter of rejection. Published online, retrieved 10th November 2008 </ref> International Men’s Day is "anti-] Men’s organisations should not promote nor support an International Men’s Day. Nor should other organisations offer their support to such an event."<ref>Flood, M., International Men’s Day: An open letter of rejection. Published online, retrieved 10th November 2008 </ref>
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IMD coordinators of the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association responded to Dr. Flood pointing out that "our society has developed a very negative view of men and boys and often depicts them as bad, evil, violent, insensitive, inadequate, focusing on 'men behaving badly' or men as uncaring."<ref>Official reply to Dr. M. Flood from the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association (MHWA) 5 November 2004</ref>. The response further highlighted that this ] portrayal of our men and boys has a ] impact on the way our men and boys function with our society, that it impacts their ], sense of ] and ], sense of ] and ], which in turn has a direct impact on ], ] and ] in being part of and building sustainable, safe and growing ].<ref>Official reply to Dr. M. Flood from the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association (MHWA) 5 November 2004</ref> Men's Health and Wellbeing Association summarized their reply with the following statement: "Your letter ''re-inforced'' our belief in the need for International Men's Day to be observed and celebrated".<ref>Official reply to Dr. M. Flood from the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association (MHWA) 5 November 2004</ref>

Despite Dr. Flood's 2004 attempts above, celebration of International Men's Day has continued to be practiced.


==See also== ==See also==

Revision as of 03:23, 5 December 2008

International Men's Day is an international event celebrated on 19th of November. It was suggested in 1999 by Mikhail Gorbachev and was supported by the United Nations in Vienna, and received overwhelming support from men's groups in USA, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Speaking on behalf of UNESCO, Ms. Ingeborg Breines, Director of Women and Culture of Peace, said: “This is an excellent idea and would give some gender balance.” She added that her organisation was looking forward to cooperating with the organisers of the IMD. The objectives of celebrating an International Men's Day include focusing on men's health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to highlight discrimination against them and to celebrate their achievements and contributions. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social contributions of men, and in particular for their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care.

International Men's Day is celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Australia, India and United States on November 19, and global support for the celebration is broad.

Consensus on the Date

Trinidad and Tobago were the first to celebrate IMD on the 19th November, 1999. The event was coordinated by Harrack Balramsingh, Chairman of Citizens for a Better Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT), and UWI Lecturer Dr Jerome Teelucksingh and has continued to be celebrated in years thereafter.

Australians have celebrated IMD on 19 November since 2003, when Phil Gouldson of Men's Health and Wellbeing Association ACT (MHWA) launched the inaugural event after receiving an invitation by Trinidad and Tobago's Harrack Balramsingh to join in the event. Australians consider this a very significant date marking the sinking of the cruiser HMAS Sydney during the Second World War, therefore commemorating the largest loss of life in battle on any one day with the death of 645 men off the coast of Geraldton in Western Australia.

Indian Men's rights organisation Save Indian Family have joined in with an inaugural celebration of IMD on 19 November, 2007. As a first step it accepted 19 November as (Indian) International Men's Day based on the fact that cricket rivals Australians and West Indies (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago) were already doing it. The event was again celebrated in India in 2008, and plans have been made to continue the celebration annually.

In 2001 a number of organizations in The United States and Canada joined in celebrating IMD on 19th November. In 2008 International Men’s Day continues to be celebrated by a number of United States organizations including the Malachi Global Foundation (MGF) in Michigan, which hosted observances of IMD on November 19.

As of 2008 the number of countries holding celebrations of International Men's Day in November includes Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Australia, India and United States with other nations pledging to join celebrations in November to create a universal international celebration.

Themes celebrated

International Men’s Day is a time for men to highlight discrimination against them in areas of health, family law, education, media or other areas and to project their positive contributions and achievements. During past years the method of commemorating International Men's Day included public seminars, classroom activities at schools, radio and television programs, and peaceful displays and marches. The manner of observing this annual day is optional, and any appropriate forums can be used. Early pioneers of IMD reminded that the day is not intended to compete against International Woman's Day, but is for the purpose of highlighting men's experiences. Each year a different theme is highlighted, such as peace in 2002, or men’s health in 2003. In consultation with organizers from other nations, Australian IMD coordinator Phil Gouldson has outlined the following broad objectives of International Men’s Day:

  • Celebrate manhood and the wonderful positive and valuable contributions our men, young men, and boys make to our communities and to our societies
  • Promote and Support gender equality, encouraging men to address responsibly and positively the challenges facing them in society
  • Demonstrate strength of character and courage in meeting the challenges that men face in society and in contributing to building stronger and better communities, where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential.

In Canberra 2004 Mr. Gouldson asked men in Australia to meet the challenge and wear a red rose for IMD and for women and families to buy the men in their life flowers. He said a red rose is worn by men on IMD as a symbol of strength of character and courage, and as it is unusual to see men being given flowers so it is a good way to highlight the occasion.

One of the promoted themes for the celebration of IMD in Australia is “honour and sacrifice”, particularly as this date coincides with a major loss of male lives in the HMAS Sydney naval tragedy. According to Australian Dads4Kids Organization the ability to sacrifice one's needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood and therefore to International Men's Day: "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."

According to Mens Activism News Network having International Men's Day in November also interfaces with 'Movember' - a worldwide moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men's health, one of the key themes promoted on IMD.

Negative feminist appraisal

Pro-feminist academic Michael Flood has launched an anti International Men's Day appeal, in an attempt to stop the celebration from growing. He says: "some women have responded that every other day is International Men’s Day" and that in comparison women’s lives and concerns are trivialised.

Dr. Flood suggests that people wanting to honour men with an IMD may be doing so simply to have equality with International Woman's Day which he says "is likely to alienate women’s services, women’s organisations, and other women and men who might otherwise be supportive of the causes." He believes that women alone are deserving of such a celebration and finishes his argument with the following conclusion and appeal:

International Men’s Day is "anti-feminist Men’s organisations should not promote nor support an International Men’s Day. Nor should other organisations offer their support to such an event."

IMD coordinators of the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association responded to Dr. Flood pointing out that "our society has developed a very negative view of men and boys and often depicts them as bad, evil, violent, insensitive, inadequate, focusing on 'men behaving badly' or men as uncaring.". The response further highlighted that this negative portrayal of our men and boys has a significant impact on the way our men and boys function with our society, that it impacts their self-esteem, sense of identity and value, sense of purpose and optimism, which in turn has a direct impact on health, wellbeing and participation in being part of and building sustainable, safe and growing communities. Men's Health and Wellbeing Association summarized their reply with the following statement: "Your letter re-inforced our belief in the need for International Men's Day to be observed and celebrated".

Despite Dr. Flood's 2004 attempts above, celebration of International Men's Day has continued to be practiced.

See also

External links

References

  1. 'UNESCO comes out in Support of International Men's Day', Article Trinidad Guardian Nov 20, 2001
  2. November 19th - International Men's Day. Press Release by Harrack Balramsingh of CBTT, 20th May 2003
  3. 'UNESCO comes out in Support of International Men's Day', Article Trinidad Guardian Nov 20, 2001
  4. November 19th - International Men's Day. Press Release by Harrack Balramsingh of CBTT, 20th May 2003
  5. International Men’s Day – Do we care? (2004) Press Release from Men's Health & Wellbeing Association (MHWA) ACT
  6. Join in Celebrating International Men's Day, by Harrack Balramsingh- Letter to the Editor Cayman Net News 13 Nov, 2001
  7. International Men's Day on Nov 19 to highlight plight of men, (2007) Outlook India
  8. Nov 19 Marks National Men's Day, Editorial Malaysian International News Agency 2007.
  9. International Men’s Day – Do we care? (2004) Press Release from Men's Health & Wellbeing Association (MHWA) ACT.
  10. Red Roses for your Blokes - It'll raise Their self esteem. Article- The Canberra Times 6th November 2004
  11. Celebrating International Men's Day - Men's Health and Wellbeing Association, background and objectives 19th Nov 2005
  12. November 19th - International Men's Day. Press Release by Harrack Balramsingh of CBTT, 20th May 2003
  13. International Men’s Day observed for the 4th consecutive year in TT, CBTT Article Nov 20, 2002
  14. ‘Addicts need treatment, not jail’ Article- The Trinidad Guardian 29 Nov 2007
  15. November 19th - International Men's Day. Press Release by Harrack Balramsingh of CBTT, 20th May 2003
  16. International Men’s Day – Do we care? (2004) Press Release from Men's Health & Wellbeing Association (MHWA) ACT.
  17. Dads4Kids Organization Australia
  18. November 19 to be International Men's day : Hindustan Times News,(article) 2007
  19. International Men's Day – 19 November, 2008, Press Release of Save the Indian Family, Thursday, 13 November 2008
  20. Men's Day observance well attended. Press Release (2001), Citizens for a Better trinidad and Tobago
  21. International Men's day Celebrations in the U.S., (2008) Press Release by Australian Fatherhood Foundation.
  22. International Men's day Celebrations in the U.S., (2008) Press Release by Australian Fatherhood Foundation.
  23. November 19th - International Men's Day. Press Release by Harrack Balramsingh of CBTT, 20th May 2003
  24. CBTT co-hosts 2nd International Men's Day, CBTT News Archives
  25. November 19th - International Men's Day. Press Release by Harrack Balramsingh of CBTT, 20th May 2003
  26. Celebrating International Men's Day - Men's Health and Wellbeing Association, background and objectives 19th Nov 2005
  27. Article- 'Manly respect blooms if you give those blokes a rose', The Canberra Times, November 19th 2004
  28. Dads4Kids Organization Australia
  29. Dads4Kids Organization Australia
  30. Men's Activism News Network. Press Release Dec 2008
  31. Flood, M., (2004) International Men’s Day: An open letter of rejection. Published online, retrieved 10th November 2008
  32. Flood, M., International Men’s Day: An open letter of rejection. Published online, retrieved 10th November 2008
  33. Flood, M., International Men’s Day: An open letter of rejection. Published online, retrieved 10th November 2008
  34. Official reply to Dr. M. Flood from the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association (MHWA) 5 November 2004
  35. Official reply to Dr. M. Flood from the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association (MHWA) 5 November 2004
  36. Official reply to Dr. M. Flood from the Men's Health and Wellbeing Association (MHWA) 5 November 2004
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