It is interesting to see when the term “international men’s day” is googled: the peaks are on March 8th when it is international women’s day.
I have complicated feelings around international women’s day. For example, I received spam, trying to convince me to celebrate women’s power and resilience by buying the OnePlus 11 phone. I wonder how this helps anyone? A token like international women’s day can easily be used towards completely unrelated goals, goals that can even harm women. How many women are working in factories that produce parts for the OnePlus 11, in conditions that are inhumane? How many women suffer under the environmental impacts of extracting the rare metals that are necessary to produce the OnePlus 11?
On the other hand, it is not up to me to decide whether such a day is helpful. Women around me use this day to celebrate and ask people to reflect. I want to support that.
And finally, what do we see when a day is centered around folks who are often decentered? We see people asking when there is a day that centers men. That tells me that we do very much need international women’s day.
I’d think that many men (including myself) can benefit from using this day to consciously center women, perhaps especially some specific women around you.
Also, follow the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, or your local feminist activists. Structural change will be achieved through activism and political action.
