International Men’s Day, which is celebrated on 19 November each year, can feel like a controversial topic for some. With so many inequalities putting non-male gender identities at a disadvantage, it’s easy to discard an opportunity to celebrate the male identity. But it’s worth considering what can be gained from striving for equality for both genders – particularly in the workplace.
Inclusion and diversity consultant Aamani Rehman has spoken out about the importance of empowering men and boys and the contributions they make to communities, as well as acknowledging the social issues they face and the ways that acknowledging and rectifying these can benefit all communities.
Engaging with Inclusion
"IMD is not only an opportunity to engage with men, but it helps men gain the confidence to engage with inclusion. The day can give male inclusion allies an opportunity to step forward and be heard,” she wrote in a blog post.
Life coach Bayu Prihandito adds that when men are encouraged to empathise and support others’ diverse needs, “it creates an environment where everyone feels valued and understood”. “For instance, when men advocate for parental leave, it normalises the idea that caregiving is not only a mother's responsibility, which also helps reduce gender stereotypes,” he explains, referring to these changes as a “ripple effect” towards better equality for all.
A lack of childcare support in the workplace, by contrast, can perpetuate the narrative that women are the primary caregivers, depriving male counterparts (or queer parents or non-conventional families) of validation within family roles – Bayu adds that it also normalises an unhealthy work-life balance in the workplace.
“Flexible work practices and childcare allowances can help men to participate more fully in their family life without the fear of having to deal with the professional consequences,” he adds. “This not only supports women by sharing the responsibilities of the family more equally but also challenges our traditional belief that men should always be the provider and prioritise work over family. This shift can lead to a more balanced life for all employees, regardless of their gender.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategist Nikki Innocent advises we encourage leaders in the workplace to “make offerings gender neutral in both language, written and spoken, but also in practice. Especially for male leaders, walk the walk – show how you prioritise aspects of your life outside of work, and celebrate when others do.”
Changing a toxic narrative around mental health
Unequal opportunities in the workplace also normalise elements of the patriarchy that ultimately disadvantage men as well as women – for example, a toxic narrative around male mental health leads men to feel like they can’t speak out at work if they’re struggling, breeding an atmosphere of repression and lack of authenticity for everyone.
A Mind survey found that men are more likely to experience mental health problems due to their job, with 10.9% of full-time employed men were found to have a common mental health problem.
“The stigma around mental health can prevent men from seeking help when needed, which leads to suppressing their own emotional needs and eventually leaving unaddressed mental health issues that can affect their work performance and personal life,” Bayu explains.
“This stigma also perpetuates a culture where emotional vulnerability is seen as a weakness, affecting women who may feel pressured to conform to a "tough" workplace environment.” Therefore, fighting for mental health policies that benefit men as well as other genders works to create a better workplace environment for all.
Using the lens of intersectionality
Aamani also stresses the importance of “seeing the different identities of men through the lens of intersectionality”, to explore what ways they might encounter discrimination or disadvantage in the workplace outside of their gender. Understanding and negotiating the way that age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class and other factors can create both privilege and prejudice for all genders can validate others' experiences and help us towards a deeper equality that benefits all.
“In the workplace, this means recognising that the challenges a young Asian man faces can be completely different from those of an older Black man,” Bayu explains. “By considering these different layers, we can create more nuanced policies that address the specific needs of all employees, not just a simplistic view of men vs women. By following this approach, we ensure that the fight for equality is both inclusive and comprehensive.”
Nikki advises we look at the conversation about equality in the workplace as “tilted playing field”. “The more we can level out the playing field across the board and celebrate our differences as strengths, the more people can come to the workplace free from resistance,” she says.
Antonio Vega, a DEI consultant, suggests ways we can broach intersectionality to work towards wider gender equality is to push for these initiatives in the workplace. “A white straight male director can be the sponsor of the employee resource group for women. Or a straight woman can be an executive sponsor for an LGBTQ+ related activity or group,” he suggests, describing these moves as a “huge opportunity” for change.
There’s huge scope to fight for gender inequality across a range of workplace issues – mental health, childcare policy, awareness of discrimination around intersectionality – and improving these elements of working life will benefit all genders, including men. But we mustn’t forget that in order to do so, we need a shift in our attitudes to underpin the changes needed.
Antonio says the priority is to foster a “culture of support and understanding” for all in the workplace. “By creating an environment where individuals feel supported, we contribute to the wellbeing of both men and women in the workplace,” he says, adding that removing the contrasts of gender-based societal norms also “opens the path for women to steer away from stereotypes too”.
In this way, as Bayu advises, we can create a better collective effort to address the deeper root causes of inequality in the workplace.