There are moments when students surprise us with questions that leave us speechless. I remember one November 19th when one of my students, with a bored tone, came over, dropped his backpack with a sigh, and said, “Another year, Men’s Day, and nothing’s happening.” He looked around as if it were the worst day of his life. “My mom told me today is Men’s Day, and nothing’s going on at school.”
With a sigh, I braced myself for the usual conversation about equity and the history of women's struggles, but my student wouldn’t let me continue. “Teacher, why do we only celebrate Women’s Day and not Men’s Day?” he asked, with a tone mixing curiosity and a bit of frustration. I tried to explain that Women’s Day is celebrated to honor the fight for equal rights, the suffering of the past, and everything women have had to overcome. But my student interrupted me. “Yes, teacher, I get that, but if there’s equality and fairness, why don’t we celebrate men too? They’ve had to suffer too.”
It was a tough question to answer. He pointed out something I hadn’t considered: while women couldn’t vote or study, men couldn’t stay home to care for their children; they had to go to war. “It’s time to honor both,” he insisted. “It’s fine to celebrate Women’s Day, but what about men? Where’s the equality?”
Listening to his words, I was stunned. He was right. Why not honor men too? While the reason for celebrating Women’s Day is certainly valid, my student’s argument made perfect sense. It was an opportunity to reflect on the realities of both genders and recognize that men and women have faced injustices at different points in history.
I thought about all the men who have sacrificed so much, those who couldn’t express their emotions, the unsung heroes, and those who played key roles in the advancement of our society. And I wondered: why not remember those men too?
I love humanity, and if the education system promotes events to commemorate, remember, and honor so many people, grandparents, mothers, fathers, and even special days for veterans, why not dedicate a day to men too?
The conversation continued with other students joining in, sharing their points of view. Some argued that men also deserved recognition because, while women fought for their rights, men too had suffered in different ways. Others pointed out how men have made valuable contributions to society, from saving lives to doing physically demanding jobs.
On the other hand, some students were less convinced. “Women didn’t have rights for many years,” they said. “Women were only in the kitchen.” And while their points were valid, throughout the conversation we began to realize something: we all had reasons to celebrate both genders in a respectful and fair way.
In the end, we held a vote, and the majority of the students decided that yes, we should celebrate Men’s Day. Out of 24 children, only 2 girls insisted that it shouldn’t be celebrated, citing historical reasons for the oppression of women. However, the students who wanted to celebrate argued that this day wasn’t about competing between genders but about recognizing each gender’s worth.
We then decided to do something special for Men’s Day: a picnic in their honor. It was a unique experience. At the end of the day, one of the children said, “I hope next year we don’t have to vote or explain so much why Men’s Day should be celebrated. It should come from everyone’s heart, girls and teachers too.”
And he was right. After all, we all have something valuable to contribute to humanity, regardless of our gender. In my classroom, we learned that Men’s Day isn’t a competition, but an opportunity to celebrate both genders, recognize their struggles, and contribute to the world with the love and respect we all deserve.
The following year, I decided to create a resource to celebrate Men’s Day in my class. I firmly believe that when it comes to gender, we all need to contribute, regardless of biological or psychological differences. Humans are wonderful, and we come into this world to leave a positive mark on the lives of those around us. If we celebrate Women’s Day, it’s only fair and possible to celebrate Men’s Day too.
International Men’s Day Activity, Banners or Pennants and Biography Research
So, if your school is also asking why we don’t celebrate Men’s Day, maybe this is the perfect time to practice the equality we promote so much and find a way to recognize all members of our school community. After all, we all have something important to contribute. Happy Men’s Day!
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