Men's day does gooey

A comment to my post about International Women’s Day corrects me in that there is, apparently, an International Men’s Day, and that it is on 19th November.

If you have a strong stomach, read what it says on the website:

"Little boys -- our sons --- the Global Village's Next Generation of Fathers -- enter this world brimming with insatiable curiosity, irrepressible enthusiasm, unbridled energy, and limitless potential. For some, the journey from childhood to manhood is an exhausting struggle with academic performance, self-esteem, and health issues. It is a journey that is further complicated by the lack of access to positive male role models and mixed signals and misinformation about masculinity, fatherhood, and the rules of engagement for courtship and marriage which are transmitted daily by music videos, films, television situation comedies, the print media, and segments of society.

Is it any wonder that some of our sons -- the Next Generation of Fathers -- upon reaching puberty, descend into an abyss of confusion and despair?

Have the adults of the world inadvertently and collectively overlooked the unique psychological and intellectual needs of boys -- our sons -- the Next Generation of Fathers? How do we heal their broken spirit? What do we need to do to provide them with viable options, resources and support services; fire up their imagination; and restore their faith in themselves and in humanity?

Let's work together in a collaborative and loving spirit to design, implement, and sustain initiatives that aggressively and effectively resolve our sons' -- the Next Generation of Fathers' -- academic performance, health, and self-esteem issues.

We must not delay! The time is now!

Actually I am all in favour of role models for our sons, the next generation of fathers, preferably ones who don’t write gooey sentimental tripe. You can just imagine the sort of person who writes ‘misinformation about the rules of engagement for courtship and marriage which are transmitted daily by music videos...’

Or can you? Just imagine the confusion and self-doubt sown among the next generation of fathers as through salty tears they look up from the abyss of confusion and despair to read that this mawkish drivel was written by a woman. Yes, little boys – our sons – the United States co-ordinator for International Men’s Day is Diane A Sears.

So have the other side already won? I’m afraid we are going to have to organise a proper International Men’s Day in which we teach our sons, the next generation of fathers, how to drink beer, watch sport on the television and keep women out of the boardroom.