Men Have Rights Too!

By Simphiwe Ndlovu

Did you know that men too have their own special day? The problem is that since men don’t have rights this international day is celebrated by people who are familiar with it, it is not recognized by many.

This day was inaugurated on 7 February 1992 by Thomas Oaster, this project of international day was conceived on the year earlier on 8 February 1991. Thomas Oaster was the Director of the Missouri Center for Men Studies and employed as Associate Professor at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, where he taught classes on men issues.

In the early 1990s, organizations in the United States, Australia and Malta held small events in February at the invitation of Thomas Oaster. Thomas Oaster successfully promoted the event in 1993 and 1994,but his following attempt was poorly attended and he ceased plans to continue the event in subsequent years.

Prof. Teelucksingh who is the graduate of the University of the West Indies. He continued Thomas Oaster’s wish for the International Men’s Day(IMD) to continue. In 1999, Prof. Teelucksingh independently re-initiated the event, because he said “He noticed a lack of positive male role models in the world.” He changed the date to November 19th because it’s his father’s birthday.

Misandry is the hatred of,contempt for, or prejudice against men or boys in general. Misandry may be manifested in numerous ways, including: hostility which leads to women disliking men, sex discrimination, sexual objectification is when a men is being primarily viewed as an object of sexual desires and belittling men. Misogyny is the same as misandry, the difference is gender.

We talk about gender equality but do you really think that men and women are equal? I don’t think so because if that’s the case the international men’s day would have been passed by law as a holiday.

This day would also help men and boys talk about the challenges they face and promote gender equality. I think our society as a whole or even the government has instilled the mentality of men using their power to their advantage, but let’s not forget that they have feelings too. I feel like the society as a whole has failed men because they instill the mentality of crying as being weak.

We all face our own challenges as different genders but I feel like men have it the worst. Men are not expected to show feelings and this is why they bottle up things and this would lead them to being depressed or short-tempered. All because society or the government never considered men as priority and that they deserve to be protected too.

For instance there are women who abuse men emotionally and physically, if a guy goes to report a physical abuse or even rape, they are being laughed at by our own police officers who we expect to get protection from are the ones who make funny remarks, like ‘Ahh you’re a men you can’t be beaten up or raped by a women.’ Other men are in jail because they were being falsely accused by their wives or girlfriend’s. Our youth must try and come up with solutions to help each other, not to destroy each other. Words can either build or destroy a person.

MEN ARE VICTIMS TOO!