Advance Inclusion in your workplace

Lead the way to create inclusive workplaces with expert support, tailored resources, and a vibrant member community. Inclusive Employers membership gives you the tools and insights to advance inclusion and make a lasting impact.

Advance Inclusion in Your Workplace Today

Introduction

Sometimes working in inclusion and diversity it could be easy to forget all about International Men’s Day. The day itself has a complicated history, starting as Armed Forces Day in the former Soviet Union in the 1960s it only truly became International Men’s Day in 1992. Despite a stalled start with the following year cancelled it has been celebrated every year since 1994 (Malta being the only country to have celebrated it annually since 1994).

Whilst we see continued oppression of women across the world through disparities in pay and the overturning of Roe v Wade, International Men’s Day undoubtedly deserves a place in our diversity calendar.

The day shouldn’t be a kneejerk reaction International Women’s Day, but rather this important day is our opportunity to celebrate the contribution of men and boys to our society, as well as recognise the issues facing men both mental and physical. The impact of toxic masculinity across all genders and across all communities is something that deserves our attention and our concerted efforts to address.

On a personal note, I didn’t used to see the point of International Men’s Day. I wasn’t sure it was entirely necessary because men aren’t exactly oppressed in society right? Whilst it may still be true that on the whole that our societies continue to favour men in positions of power and influence, as with most things in inclusion and diversity it isn’t that simple.

As a queer man I’d always felt threatened by toxic masculinity and by the notion that there is one way to be a man. I continually didn’t fit in with societal expectations of masculinity and so I certainly didn’t want to spend a day celebrating men.

However, the more I thought about it the more I realised this was the perfect reason to celebrate International Men’s Day. Among the many damaging traits of toxic masculinity pervading our society, the idea that men do not have emotions and shouldn’t talk about them is perhaps the most perverse.

As someone personally impacted by the suicide of a male friend last year and with my own mental health challenges to overcome why shouldn’t this day be an opportunity to talk about our emotions?

We live in a time when suicide is totally preventable yet impossible to prevent, when struggling with your mental health shouldn’t be something that you’re ashamed of and yet men still can’t speak out.

Suicide is the leading cause of death of men under the age of 45 in the UK whilst LGBT+ young people are twice as likely to contemplate suicide and Black people are more likely to experience mental illness and psychosis. The day is for all men and boys, in all their diversity.

We all deserve a life lived free of misery and we can only get there by continuing to talk, International Men’s Day gives us that opportunity.

What are the key themes for International Men’s Day?

In the UK the same key themes are used every year:

  • Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys
  • Promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood and masculinity
  • Raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men and boys’ wellbeing

So with these themes in mind, let’s think about how you can support International Men’s Day in your organisation.

“International Men’s Day is for all men in all their diversity. As with all work in inclusion, make sure that whatever you do for International Men’s Day you do it from an intersectional perspective.” 

Download the International Men's Day Factsheet
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Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys

As a first step, you could use this day as an opportunity to check your policies and ensure they are gender inclusive. This means ensuring that paternity leave it made clear, that parents are given equal access to support and that you use gender-neutral terms.

If you have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or other platforms to support your colleagues, then advertise these throughout the day and link them to the themes of International Men’s Day.

You could also use the day to promote local support and wellbeing groups for men. There are lots of social and talking groups for men both in-person and online so do some research and showcase them throughout the day.

Promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood and masculinity

International Men’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to showcase role models in your organisation and you could run profiles on men from your organisation talking about inclusion. Remember this day is for all men, so ensure you have diversity in your role models and give them time to share why this day is important to them.

Depending on your work environment, you could run some virtual or in-person events to celebrate the day. It could be as simple as having a dedicated display in a team area through to having guest speakers or running some development programmes.

Use your organisation’s social media and international communications channels to share what you’re doing! International Men’s Day is all about opening up the conversation so use your platforms to their full potential. The day is also an excellent opportunity for men to be seen and heard as inclusion role models talking about inclusion and why it matters.

Raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men and boys’ wellbeing

If you have the budget, consider donating or raising money for charities that support men and boys’ wellbeing. You could ask colleagues or staff networks to decide on some charities or do some research on local organisations.

To go one step further, you could sponsor a local award to recognise the contributions of individuals or organisations in supporting men and boys’ wellbeing. It would be great to make this an annual event and really commit to International Men’s Day.

If you’re not able to donate financially, you could look into donating ‘in kind’ and giving space to organisations who support the wellbeing of men and boys. This could be some meeting space, use of kitchen facilities or even a ‘social media takeover’ for the day.

A note on Intersectionality

International Men’s Day is for all men in all their diversity. As with all work in inclusion, make sure that whatever you do for International Men’s Day you do it from an intersectional perspective.

Here are some tips on how to work intersectionally this International Men’s Day:

  • Speak to your staff networks or employee groups to ensure that you incorporate diverse voices into your plans
  • Consider how LGBTQ+ groups may feel around gender stereotypes, particularly toxic masculinity and open up the conversation
  • Work with women in your organisation and ask for their input on positive male role models
  • Often men who are carers can be excluded from conversations around caring and parental responsibilities. Use IMD as an opportunity to ensure they are represented in your policies and communications.

Whatever your approach to International Men’s Day, it’s really important that you consider a diverse range of voices on how to celebrate and commemorate the day.

Final thoughts

International Men’s Day is a wonderful opportunity for all employers to ensure men are truly part of the inclusion conversation.

It’s an important day to focus on issues facing all men from an intersectional perspective. The day is not in competition with International Women’s Day but should complement it alongside other awareness days, weeks and months. In doing this we can reflect on the challenges faced by all genders in our society and work toward a more inclusive future side-by-side.

If you’d like us to support you to celebrate International Men’s Day in your organisation, please get in touch or speak to your account manager.

Members can also access our International Men’s Day factsheet in the resources area of our website.

 

Advance Inclusion in your workplace

Lead the way to create inclusive workplaces with expert support, tailored resources, and a vibrant member community. Inclusive Employers membership gives you the tools and insights to advance inclusion and make a lasting impact.

Advance Inclusion in Your Workplace Today

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