International Men’s Day: 3 Ways To Celebrate Men on International Men’s Day

By Autumn McGowan
Web Content Contributor 

International Men’s Day is a holiday celebrated on Nov. 19 every year. It was initiated in 1999 by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, a professor at the University of The West Indies, and the holiday has now spread to over 70 countries. 

According to the website National Today, International Men’s Day focuses on “men’s health, improving gender relations, highlighting male role models, and promoting positive expressions of masculinity” as well as being “an opportunity to recognize men who don’t fall into traditional manifestations of masculinity, such as gay and bisexual men, transgender, or masculine non-binary people.”

It’s a day to celebrate the stories, experiences, and ideas of the male-identifying people in our lives. If you don’t know where to start, check out the points below!

Donate 

Giving charitable gifts is a great way to celebrate International Men’s Day. There are so many great organizations with the goal of helping boys and men. One of my personal favorites is The Trevor Project, which aims to support and educate all LGBTQ+ youth, but both Charity Navigator and Charity Watch are great resources for you to find a mission that speaks to you.

These websites have great databases of charities and non-profits to search through that have been evaluated based on transparency and finances to ensure that your gift goes directly to those that you want to help.   

Check-In

Every year, International Men’s Day adopts a theme, and this year is “Better Health for Men and Boys.” While no one person is responsible for anyone else’s mental or physical health, one important thing we can continue to do is to destigmatize men seeking help. Men are statistically less likely to want to talk about mental health concerns because of societal norms, which has resulted in the suicide rate for men being 3.53 times higher than that of women. 

Not everyone can afford professional mental health, but checking in with our male-identifying friends and offering safe spaces can be beneficial. Leading by example and prioritizing our own mental and physical health can also be a good way to encourage our friends.  

KTSW Bro Cast

International Men’s Day means KTSW’s annual Bro Cast! It will be an all-day event on Nov. 19 on-air with the men of KTSW who will be talking about music and more. Stream it straight from your phone on your favorite radio streaming app or from a desktop here. 

Featured Image by KTSW Multimedia