Hello, beautiful people,

The month of June carries a significance that, unfortunately, is often overlooked. The third Sunday of this month is set aside to celebrate fathers, the male figures in our lives, the pillars of strength and the exemplars of courage.

However, the narrative around the masculine role has been distorted and marginalised in recent times. The ‘Men are trash’ ideology is becoming a popular belief, while the criticality of good men in our society is fast becoming an endangered understanding.

This Father’s Day, let’s recalibrate our perspectives and open our eyes to the numerous men who diligently fulfil their responsibilities and are true assets to our community. The book “The World Needs a Father” by Cassie Carstens is a poignant reminder of this necessity. It illustrates how a father’s influence can shape up an individual’s life and challenges the prevalent stereotype of ‘toxic masculinity.’

Toxic masculinity is bad, but is all maleness bad?

We live in a time where the pendulum seems to swing heavily towards advancing women’s rights, often painting all aspects of maleness with the brush of toxicity.

Now, there is no denying that women have suffered inequality, and there remains a significant need for continued empowerment and upliftment.

However, we must understand that progress in equality is not a zero-sum game.

In our bid to empower one group, we should not end up disempowering another.

So, the answer is no. True maleness is astonishing in its brilliance!

Strength when we are fragile. Gentle to our fears. Firm to our softness. Goofy to our sombreness. Courage to our trembling. Melted to our warmth. Calm to our chaos. Partners in our hopes, dreams and goals. All that is feminine is us answers to the male heart of man with a resounding yes.

So, no. Maleness is not toxic. Believing that we don’t need men is not only ignorant, it harms us, and our societies. We should not forget to appreciate and give place to the good men in our lives for their invaluable contributions.

This Father’s Day, let’s recalibrate

We need to break free from the vicious cycle of tagging all maleness as toxic.

While addressing the fatherless generation, we must acknowledge the pitfalls of growing up without a positive male influence.

Fatherlessness often leads to struggles with self-esteem, behavioural problems, and issues in developing healthy relationships. It’s an unfortunate reality that children from fatherless homes are more likely to experience these challenges.

Good men are good to find, and even better to keep

Even more worrying is the indoctrination of our young women into the ‘all men are trash’ culture.

This not only devalues the importance of good men but also potentially robs our young women of the ability to recognize and appreciate the right kind of male influence in their lives.

It is critical to understand that our young women don’t just need to be told that they can survive without men; they need to be taught to coexist with respect, love, and mutual support.

Final Father’s Day thoughts

Men are more than the negative stereotypes that society often labels them with. They are indispensable to the familial structure and societal harmony.

They are fathers, brothers, uncles, and friends who provide guidance, protection, and love.

Their roles in society cannot be discounted or dismissed.

This Father’s Day, let’s make a collective effort to honour them, respect them, and appreciate them for all that they do.

Wrapped in respect

To all the good men out there – you are seen, you are valued, and you are appreciated.

As we approach Father’s Day, I invite you to join us in celebrating these unsung heroes in your life.

We have curated a special Father’s Day gift box, which includes a copy of “The World Needs a Father”, along with some quality treasures the man in your life will love.

This gift will serve as a reminder to our fathers, brothers, uncles, friends, and heroes that we see their efforts, we acknowledge their sacrifices, and we truly appreciate their positive impact.

Because, indeed, the world does need a father. Happy Father’s Day!

Love,

B 🫶🏾