International Men's Day -- and discussion of male issues and rights in general -- tends to get a lot of backlash, even from men. Some say men have always had a voice, and it's a man's world, so their male loved ones don't deserve appreciation. Here's the thing: this day isn't just about celebrations. It's also for raising awareness of issues that men are silenced for speaking up about.
So in honor of November 19th, here are 19 reasons why this day is meant to help your sons, brothers, fathers, etc. The constant efforts to shut down these conversations are also shutting down ways to help them in the future. Statistics are for American cases, unless stated otherwise.
1. Mainly due to social expectations, most boys are reluctant to speak up about their problems. Those problems include depression, injuries, molestation, and suicidal thoughts. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for boys 19 and younger. Many boys who express emotions are labeled as weak, and some are beaten up by peers and even their parents just for crying. I'm just curious, what are your thoughts on boys crying?
2. Reluctance to speak up generally carries on to adulthood. While 1 in 10 men have depression, 59% don't seek treatment. Which is why 79% of suicide victims are male. Maybe we need to ease up on the "man up and shut up" rants and provide some real help for our friends and family. We don't know what they're going through.
Speaking of help:
3. There's not much support for male DV survivors, despite the fact that women are just as likely to be the abuser. And that's before taking into account that decades worth of research has been sabotaged to keep this issue under wraps. There are only 2 male shelters in America.
4. If a man calls the police on his abusive wife or girlfriend, he'll likely be arrested instead, or ridiculed by the cops.
5. If he defends himself, the bystanders who just watched him get attacked will hit him back.
6. Helplines will hang up on him, laugh, or accuse him of being the attacker. They might even screen him -- but not the female callers -- to make sure he's really a victim.
Help for DV Survivors:
7. Your brother, son, uncle, etc. can be forced to pay child support for a kid that isn't his. Otherwise, he'll go to jail, lose his driver's license, lose his job, etc. Even if DNA tests prove he's not the dad. Some men weren't told of their "fatherhood" until years later, when they owed thousands in child support. Some were randomly named by a women they never met.
8. 10 million American males have eating disorders. Boys as young as 8 have been diagnosed with anorexia, and 25% of people with anorexia and/or bulimia are male. If the men and boys in your family have these problems, most doctors would have no idea of what to do, because even they've been conditioned to think this is a woman's issue. Hell, the guys themselves often don't realize what's happening.
Help with Eating Disorders:
9. If your underage son gets raped by a grown woman and impregnates her, he'll have to pay child support to his rapist.
10. Some adults praise boys who were molested by women, and make fun of those who didn't enjoy it. For instance, a 16-year-old boy who was molested by a female janitor was ridiculed by classmates and staff. News sites rarely call female pedos what they are, instead using words like "affair," "romp," and "relationship." Websites such as Maxim and The Hollywood Gossip have shared pictures of "hot" pedophile teachers.
Help for Rape Survivors:
11. 1 in 6 males have been sexually abused by age 18. And 27.8% of men were age 10 or younger at the time of their first rape/victimization. Admitting it tends to result in a hostile response from women who think those victims are trying to downplay "real victims."
12. Despite the many men and boys who have been attacked, arrested, and even killed over false accusations, many people fight to pressure everyone into blind belief. Like with the 12-year-old boy who was arrested in his pajamas, then spent the night in an adult jail cell, only for the girl to confess 14 months later. And the high schooler who was accused by 5 girls, then arrested in class, spent a week in juvenile hall, lost his job, and was bullied upon his return to school.
13. Even men who are proven innocent get attacked by vigilantes. Accusers -- including the 5 girls in the above example -- are rarely punished and generally keep their anonymity, even if the accused goes to prison or gets killed. Spreading the myth that only 2% of allegations are false won't save your loved one if he gets accused.
14. Men such as teachers or even dads are often seen as pedophiles just for being around kids.
15. A man who helps a lost child could be accused of molestation, and like in this case, could get attacked and have his info posted online by the accuser/attacker. Fear of those accusations famously led to the death of a toddler after a witness saw her wandering around and decided to keep driving by.
Help for the Falsely Accused:
16. Circumcision is a widely-used practice in America. On boys, at least. Though it has no real reason to be used, not all doctors agree with those findings. Or use anesthesia. The painful procedure kills 117 baby boys per year.
17. Teachers tend to be biased towards female students to the point of intentionally giving your sons poorer grades.
18. And then there's the infamous Ritalin drug for male students who act like male students.
19. Before you complain about people who stand up for men's rights, remember that we're fighting to help the men and boys in your life. Meanwhile, feminists are portrayed as heroes in the media and public opinion, in spite of their history of trying to silence any support for men.
