essay on international men's day

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International Men’s Day – November 19, 2024

When is international men’s day 2024.

International Men’s Day is observed on November 19, although when the holiday was first created it was celebrated in February.

History of International Men’s Day

In 1968, an American journalist named John P. Harris wrote an editorial highlighting a lack of balance in the Soviet system, which promoted an International Women’s Day for female workers but failed to deliver a male counterpart. Harris stated that though he agreed there should be a day to celebrate women, the day served as flaw within the communist system.

In the early 1990s Thomas Oaster, the director of the Missouri Center for Men’s Studies, invited organizations in the U.S., Australia, and Malta to hold small International Men’s Day events during the month of February. Oaster successfully hosted these events for two years, but his 1995 attempt was poorly attended. Discouraged, he ceased plans to continue the function. Australia followed suit, making Malta the sole country to continue celebrating.

In 1999 Trinidad and Tobago, the day was revived by Jerome Teelucksingh from the University of the West Indies. He realized that even though there was a day for fathers, there was no day to celebrate men who didn’t have kids, or who were young boys and teenagers. Teelucksingh understood the importance of positive male role models, as his father had been an excellent example for him, and chose to celebrate International Men’s Day on November 19 — the day of his father’s birthday as well as the day a local soccer team had united his country with their endeavors to qualify for the world cup.

Since Teelucksingh’s revival, International Men’s Day has served to promote positive aspects of male identity based on the premise that men respond more constructively to positive role models than to negative gender stereotyping. The day is not intended to compete with International Women’s Day, but to highlight the importance of men’s physical and mental health and positive masculinity.

International Men’s Day timeline

American journalist John P. Harris wrote an editorial about how the Soviet Union celebrating International Women's Day and not having an International Men's Day went against the basic concepts of communism.

Thomas Oaster invited organizations to host small Men's Day events in the U.S., Australia, and Malta.

Jerome Teelucksingh from Trinidad and Tobago revived International Men's Day in order to highlight positive male role models and the importance of men's health.

Malta, who had still been celebrating International Men's Day in February, officially switched the day to be observed in November in order to be synchronized with the rest of the world.

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International Men's Day By Numbers

As one of the key objectives of International Men’s Day is men’s health and wellbeing, here are some statistics aligned with that objective.

87% – The percentage of rough sleepers who are men. 73% – The percentage of people who go missing that are male. 76% – The percentage of suicides that are by men. 8.7% – The percentage of men who are alcohol dependent. 26% – The percentage of men who suffer from high cholesterol. 76 – The life expectancy of a man born in the U.S. 22% – The percentage of men who have experienced mental health problems in the last year.

International Men’s Day FAQ s

Is there an international men's day, how is international men's day celebrated, what does international men's day mean, international men’s day activities, donate to a men’s charity.

There are lots of charities dedicated to helping men live better lives. The Gay Men’s Health Crisis helps to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and to help those who are afflicted with HIV improve their health and independence. (Despite the name, it also provides assistance to straight men). The Sean Kimerling Testicular Cancer Foundation helps to raise awareness of testicular cancer and highlight the importance of self-examination. And the ManKind Initiative is dedicated to helping men escape and recover from domestic violence and abuse.

Learn more about lesser known influential men

Consider picking up a book or watching a movie about an exceptional man whose life and work is still making an impact on the world today. The Black American Experience tells the story of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, the second man in history (and the first black man) to perform a successful open-heart surgery. The Imitation Game is a moving and dramatic portrait of Alan Turing, the man who invented modern computing and helped end World War Two. Which influential men would you like to learn more about?

Check in with the men in your life

Building positive relationships with men is a lofty goal, but it does have humble beginnings. Check in with your male family members and friends, and see how they’re doing. If we’re happy at home, that’s half the battle.

Why We Love International Men’s Day

It’s a day to celebrate all men.

The common line that “every day is International Men’s Day” may bear some truth, but the fact is, that not all men are celebrated to the same degree. International Men’s Day reminds us that there are lots of different kinds of men in the world, and they all deserve a voice.

It’s a day for helping people

Men face a lot of pressure in society—for example, they're expected to be providers, and to refrain from asking for help or sharing their feelings. International Men’s Day is all about addressing these problems and redefining masculinity.

It’s All About Gender Equality

Gender equality is always a worthy goal, and International Men’s Day reminds us to make a special effort to strive for positive relations across the entire gender spectrum.

International Men’s Day dates

International men’s day related holidays.

International Youth Day

International Women's Day

​International Day of Older Persons

Let’s get social

Here are some special hashtags for the day.

#InternationalMensDay #MensDay #GenderEquality #HappyMensDay

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Here are 9 facts that show every day is International Men’s Day

• By Allison Jackson

Today is that special day that comes around once a year — that day when the entire world turns its attention to the plight of half its people, and commits itself to stand up for their rights, battle gender inequality, and create a just world for all people. 

It's International Men's Day, of course!

Nov. 19 marks the sixteenth year that the world is celebrating — but really, nobody in the world is celebrating — International Men's Day. Its founders invented the day to honor all the supposedly awesome things about "manhood." So, things like being a "good guy" and a "stand-up fellow" and "role model" and all those other gender stereotypes that, though positive, are still just gender stereotypes. Read more about honest, strong men exchanging firm handshakes, giving each other their word (you know they're good for it), and knowing the value of hard work over at the  group's website .

It's very dangerous to celebrate gender stereotypes, even positive ones, but if that's not bad enough, International Men's Day has been  hijacked by misogynistic men's rights groups  — yes, those exist — and those who oppose equal rights for women.

As Michael Kimmel wrote in the Guardian, "the title of International Men’s Day is so laden with the possibility for such confusion — is it for or against gender equality? Inspired by feminism or opposed to it? — that it is a too much of a political minefield to be navigated easily. Maybe it needs to be rethought."

Maybe International Men's Day needs to be rethought. Maybe it needs to be turned into something else entirely. Maybe we can just let Nov. 19 be " World Toilet Day " and stop stealing that porcelain shine. But no matter what happens to International Men's Day in the future, today, like every day of the year, men can sit back and know that — despite the many gains made by the global feminist movement to improve gender equality — they, men, still rule the world. Every single day is International Men's Day.

If you're worried about patriarchy losing its hold on the world, here are nine disturbing facts that prove we're a long way from it.

1. Men hold about 80 percent of political power in the world

2. A lot more men can read and write than women

3. Men hold more than 95 percent of CEO positions in the 500 biggest companies in the world

4. Men often earn more than their female colleagues. Even in the US

5. Men are fighting most of the wars, with only about a dozen countries allowing women to serve in combat roles

6. Only men are allowed to drive cars in Saudi Arabia

7. Vatican City is run by a man and only men are allowed to vote for him

8. In many countries, including India, men have a head start over women even before they are born, due to the preference for male babies

9. Men dominate the global workforce and in many cases this means controlling the household purse strings

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International Men's Day

November 19 is International Men’s Day. This collection of free resources highlights the value of men and also the 2023 theme of 'zero male suicide'.

International Men’s Day takes place worldwide on 19 November. It celebrates the “positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities” and this collection of OpenLearn resources is designed to reflect that message. This year we also acknowledge the theme of “zero male suicide”, and hope our article on the subject, and accompanying content, offers some insight, encouragement and positivity to those who need it.

Free resources on men's wellbeing

What does it mean, to be a man?

Beliefs about what makes a ‘real’ man have changed enormously over time. So what does it mean to be a man in the twenty-first century? Do traditional ideas about masculinity still apply, and if not, what kinds of new ideas have replaced them? Explore our interactive below to learn more.

What pressures are young men feeling?

A rigid construct of what makes a "real man" is putting a strain on real young men, says new research.

Why are young men worldwide experiencing mental health crises?

Everywhere around the world, the suicide rates amongst men outstrips that of women. The writer Will Storr hears some stories - and asks why.

What makes a good father?

Families come in all shapes and sizes, and not all families include fathers. But when there’s a father or someone in the fathering role, we all have our own ideas about what makes a good dad. What does a man have to do to earn this title, and have our standards changed over time? Explore our interactive to learn more.

Boys will be boys?

What's being done to address concerns about young men’s behaviour and wellbeing? 

Men’s grief and belonging through football following perinatal loss

How do bereaved fathers find support after losing a baby shortly before or after birth? This article looks at men’s experiences of belonging to a Sands United football team (the stillbirth and neonatal death society).

Do boys need male role models?

Is a lack of ‘male role models’ the source of the problems faced by young men today? And does involving more men in boys’ care and welfare make a difference? 

Being a boy

What is life like for boys today? In what follows, we explore aspects of contemporary boyhood, drawing on research conducted at The Open University and elsewhere.

The origins of Welsh male voice choirs

An overview of the conditions in Wales that led to a unique and world-famous musical tradition.

Free courses on mental health

Exercise and mental health

Each year thousands of pounds are spent on medications to treat conditions such as anxiety and depression. These medications often have negative side effects. Exercise is an alternative treatment that is low cost and has few side effects. In this free course, Exercise and mental health, we will look at the links between exercise and improved ...

Exploring depression

This free advanced level course, Exploring depression, serves as an introduction to masters level study in neurosciences and mental health. Focusing on depression, you will consider key issues concerning diagnosis, causes and interventions. You will also begin to explore theoretical models, biological and psychological explanations, and look at ...

Exploring the relationship between anxiety and depression

This free advanced level course, Exploring the relationship between anxiety and depression, serves as an introduction to masters level study in neurosciences and mental health. Focusing on anxiety and depression, you will consider key issues concerning diagnosis, causes and interventions, exploring how these conditions relate to each other. You ...

Making sense of mental health problems

Over the past century there has been a radical shift in responses to people who experience mental health problems. In this free course, Making sense of mental health problems, you will learn about how key perspectives in the field have made sense of mental health problems. By directly relating key perspectives to a case study, you will reflect ...

Mindfulness in mental health and prison settings

This free course, Mindfulness in mental health and prison settings, introduces the key ideas and practices of mindfulness, describes how it is helping counselling clients and prisoners, and also looks at some of the criticisms mindfulness has received in recent years.

Understanding depression and anxiety

This free course, Understanding depression and anxiety, explores the causes of these mental health issues, with a particular focus on stress. You will consider some risk and causal factors for some depression and anxiety disorders, and learn about the biology and psychology behind them.

Understanding mental capacity

This free course, Understanding mental capacity, covers the principles and criteria underpinning the assessment of mental capacity and decision making in the UK.

Panic attacks: what they are and what to do about them

Panic attacks: what they are and what to do about them is a free course that should be helpful to anyone who experiences panic or panic attacks, for their family and friends, and anyone more generally interested in mental health and mental health treatment. The course starts by exploring formal definitions of panic and panic attack. These ...

Work and mental health

Although being at work during periods of mental illness can be difficult for those with mental health problems, most people with these difficulties could take paid employment if it were not for numerous barriers in the workplace and the wider community (Centre for Mental Health, 2013). In this free course, Work and mental health, you will look ...

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• Originally published: Thursday, 16 November 2023
• Body text - Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 : The Open University
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• Image 'Men’s grief and belonging through football following perinatal loss' - Copyright free: Photo by Prateek Gautam on Unsplash
• Image 'What does it mean, to be a man?' - Openlearn/beingaman under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
• Image 'Exercise and mental health' - Copyright: Used with permission
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The relevance of International Men’s Day

Since the 1960s there have been appeals and efforts to establish a special day for men. International Men’s Day has moved from the fringe to the mainstream of the men’s rights movement, and it must continue its meaningful and powerful message which has positively impacted the lives of millions of boys and men. In the past, IMD has largely projected a serious, no-nonsense approach as serious problems plaguing our society were addressed.  In the future, IMD will continue being serious and uncompromising but this movement must also be seen as exciting and interesting to reach the younger generation and those young at heart.

Keywords: boys, international men’s day, males, men

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