By Wendy Anders

“Government bodies should function equally for all, not only for women,” said Miguel Moctezuma Longoria, Ph.D., professor of development studies at the Autonomous University of Zacatecas (UAZ), reported NTR Zacatecas, a digital paper in north-central Mexico.

Speaking on International Man’s Day, which is unofficially celebrated in Mexico and other countries on November 19, the academic said that there are no specialized support programs for men, while in the case of women there are many.

He stressed that Mexico lacks special units for the protection of men who are victims of domestic violence, there are no prevention and care campaigns for men’s health, nor special supports for single fathers or single male heads of families.

“There are men who require support as single parents, others who require support after experiencing abuse or violence, and vulnerable groups such as indigenous men, and men with different sexual preferences. They all require support, society must recognize the existence of this problem and think of solutions that are not based on exclusion,” emphasized Moctezuma.

Moctezuma Longoria explained that the lack of these supports and programs stem from a prevailing “macho” culture and its idea of the family.

“It is a culture where it is believed that in the family, the male should be the sole protector, and main provider of sustenance. Macho culture dictates that men should not cry, and views men as strong by nature, and therefore practically insensitive to feelings that are considered to be of another gender, that is a myth that must be fought as part of a culture that causes a lot of damage,” continued Moctezuma.

He stressed that “The idea of seeing women as weak, degrades them and considers them as needing higher levels of protection, because they are viewed with pity; this view is toxic, and views women as needing charity – charity is not a feeling that enhances people’s value.”

He added that some feminist groups with radical views do not promote open dialogue between the sexes because, “they view men, instead of as human beings just like them, as their enemy, and that is synonymous with frustrated machismo, where men also look at women as inferior, this is a very toxic culture to both sexes.”

The International Men’s Day is celebrated on November 19. It was established in 1992 by Thomas Oastes, a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas. Although agencies such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have supported the initiative, the United Nations has not officially endorsed it. Currently it is honored in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Scotland, Spain, the United States, France, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, England, Ireland, Cayman Islands, Italy, Jamaica, Malta, Moldova, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Uruguay and Vietnam.