I was telling some of the guys in my men's group about the Fatherhood Foundation's work to promote International Men's Day here in Australia and around the world. Lloyd, a good friend, who was seated with us eating breakfast said, "What do we need an International Men's Day for? We don't need to beat our chests anymore. Things are okay for men now aren't they?"

My reply to Lloyd was, "You should talk to Uma Challa from the Save Indian Family Foundation. In India, every year, approximately 56,000 married men kill themselves compared to the suicide of 29,869 married women. When it comes to separated men and separated women, the ratio gets far worse. Men: 167 suicide per 100,000; Women: 41 suicide per 100,000. These rates are proof positive of the enormous discrimination men are beginning to endure as our liberalised western democracies export their virulent anti-male legislation to developing countries around the globe."

Uma Challa is a young Indian woman who is fighting for a fair go for Indian men and one of the promoters of International Men's Day. Check out her article in Special feature on the plight of men in India under the oppressive radical feminist legislation of India. Her article is a real eye opener.

Probably many people in today's society would ask the same question that Lloyd asked, 'Why an International Men's Day?'

Firstly we must place the blame squarely on Mikhail Gorbachev, the former head of USSR, as he was the one who first suggested International Men's Day to the United Nations in 1999. Not a right wing plot by evil patriarchal dictators to take over the world after all. Interestingly International Men's Day comes from the left of the political spectrum and as such was first ratified by the UN in Vienna in 1999.

Secondly, men need a day of celebration. International Women's Day has been celebrated since 1909 all over the world. Why not International Men's Day? For the last 30 years the male of the species has been demonised by an anti-male culture and media. Thankfully, as Bob Dylan wrote, 'The times they are a-changing!'

I have been in communication with men and father's groups all over the world during the promotion of International Men's Daywww.internationalmensday.com Dr Warren Farrell is supportive, as is Harry Crouch, President of the American National Coalition of Free Men along with many others. One of the most touching conversations I have had with people this week have been with women, Diane Sears, editor of 'In Search of Fatherhood', an international magazine dedicated to encouraging a global dialogue on men and father's issues has dedicated the last nine years of her life to encouraging men and fathers through her many and varied publishing and educational projects.

I asked Diane what the story was behind her passion for the male of the species. She told me a bit of that story and then said something that hit me like a ton of bricks. She said, "The world needs men." Diane went on to say that men need support and encouragement to function at their optimum as fathers, lovers, mentors and friends. I found it hard to push back the tears.

"Men lead lives of quiet desperation", as Thoreau said. As men, we all are desperate to be needed, to be acknowledged, to be thanked and appreciated. Ask us, and we will tell you as did Lloyd, that we don't need help. But if you dig a bit deeper you will find that men hide their insecurity well, often until it is too late. The male suicide statistics around the globe reflect the truth of that statement.  That is why it's so good to have friends. The Robert Louis Stevenson quote comes to mind, 'So long as we are loved by others, I should say we are almost indispensable; and no man is useless while he has a friend.'

International Men's Day in Australia follows the theme of 'honour and sacrifice' to commemorate the 645 men from the HMAS Sydney who paid the supreme price for their nation in World War II on 19th November 1941. Greater love has no man than this that he lay his life down for his friends. In the USA the celebration centres  around Abraham Lincolns famous Gettysburg address which was made on the 19th November 1863 to commemorate those men who fought for freedom.

International Men's Day this Wednesday, 19th November 2008, is all about love and friendship. As Warren Farrell wrote in 'Women Can't Hear What Men Don't Say':

"For the first time in history, the sexes have an opportunity to redefine love, to create not a woman's movement blaming men, or a men's movement blaming women, but a gender transition movement.

In the past, we have been challenged by a paradox: political movements have been led mostly by unhealthy people, but few healthy changes have occurred without political movements.

In the future, we are challenged with the possibility of a movement producing healthy changes being led my mostly healthy people.

This will happen only if men do their homework, study their internal worlds, have the courage to take their perspectives to the external world, and invite women to join them. Men can't say what men don't know, and women can't hear what men don't say."

Lovework

Celebrate International Men's Day with some of your friends this week. You could even celebrate with your family and remember Robert Louis Stevenson's words, 'No man is useless while he has a friend.'

Yours for Honour and Respect
Warwick Marsh

PS Download your posters for International Men's Day and begin to populate the public forums on the website. Let's get some positive interaction going on the website to encourage men everywhere to go for gold for their families and friends.

Warwick Marsh  has been married to Alison for 33 years. He is the grandfather of two children and father of five children, four boys and one girl, ranging in age from 28 years to 16 years.  Warwick is a musician, songwriter, producer and public speaker who likes to think he can still laugh at himself.