A day dedicated to men? Not a bad idea
For those men who crib about sexist discrimination, here’s something to rejoice — today is International Men’s Day, and as surprising it may sound, this is not a gimmick. Historically speaking, the first IMD was observed in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago, and the main objective behind it was to create a “gender balance” and focus on issues that concern the males across the globe.
Though the day is yet to gain popularity, the theme for this year is to ‘help men and boys live longer, happier and healthier lives.’
Sarthak Kush, guitarist with the band The Middle Finger Theory, says, “We don’t actually need it but I think men do deserve to have a day, just like we have Women’s Day etc. I feel that the more we discriminate, the more we divide, so it’s good to keep everyone happy.”
RJ Dipp Bhargava thinks the biggest issue men face everywhere is the decreasing male to female ratio. He says, “Since not many nice women are around, men face a lot of trouble in this particular area. So, on this occasion, we should focus on how to increase the number of attractive women.”
Speaking of issues that concern men in general, author and wine connoisseur Magandeep Singh, mentions, “I think men need three things mostly — food, sex, and silence. Women are denying us that. For instance, divorce laws are more women-friendly and as a result men feel exploited.”
On a lighter note, he adds, “Another thing we men need is the right to have a feminine side without being considered weak. I want restoration of our fundamental rights. I think we should have a right to own as many shoes as we want, be allowed to enjoy long baths, cry during movies and be given time off to be just boys — all this without being judged.”
Maheep Singh, a stand up comedian, raises a valid point when he mentions that we assign a particular day to a cause, an emotion or a gender when we as a society accept that we have been neglecting that particular cause. He says, “Assigning a day to men, or women for that matter, certainly draws attention to issues we have become used to. Whether it will lead to gender balance, I’m not sure. I do not think men have any issues that need attention.”
Raghav Mandava, director, Cheese Monkey Mafia, feels that men have to work a lot harder for recognition compared to their female counterparts.
He says, “Sometimes men can’t pull it off with merely looks or being good at what they do. They have to work particularly hard on their personality. Especially in the entertainment business, it is sad to know that we are refused a job on stage because a female competitor is willing to show more skin. I can show skin as well, but who would want to see that?”
However, Pankaj Bhalla, a model, puts an end to the discussion by saying, “Men’s Day won’t sustain for long probably because men won’t remember the date after a few years.”
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