International Men’s Day 2025: Conversations That Matter

“Debunking the myth of the ‘real man'”

“There is a widely held, yet misunderstood, belief and stereotype that men must be “strong, stoic providers,” which stems from centuries of cultural conditioning, comprising a mix of historical necessity, social norms, stiff upper lip mindset and media portrayals.

For much of history, a man’s value was tied to their ability to protect and provide. This expectation became deeply ingrained in family structures, religion, education, and society as a whole. Over time, this evolved into a collective script that defines what “real men” should be, i.e., defined as resilient, unemotional, financially dominant, and always in control.

Men internalised this script early in life, through their parents, peers, and social cues, and are under immense pressure to live up to it. Meanwhile, women (and society more broadly) can also unconsciously reinforce this expectation, praising men for their strength and success while overlooking their emotional intelligence or vulnerability.

The misunderstanding persists because these norms go largely unchallenged and are seen as “natural” rather than learned. But as workplaces evolve, so must these definitions of masculinity. The modern challenge isn’t to make men weaker, but to redefine strength to encompass empathy, vulnerability, openness, and balance. That’s real progress and real equality.”

Read Mike’s story and explore keynote speeches.

“Why don’t men talk?”

“Why don’t men talk?

We DO talk!

If there’s one myth about men, to ditch once and for all, it’s this one.

Research from the University of Manchester showed that two thirds of men aged 40-54 in the UK who died by suicide, had reached out to front line services in the months before their death.

There’s been an explosion of varied men’s communities across the UK in the last 10 years, many of them being talk groups, with increasing numbers of men accessing therapy/counselling.

From my own experience both with my men’s football community, and from the male guests interviewed on my podcast, ‘men on show’, men absolutely talk. We love to talk, and will do so openly and freely when we feel safe to do so.

If men are not engaging with your wellbeing initiatives therefore, or they don’t appear to be embracing psychological safety and wearing their hearts on their sleeves, the issue is not that men don’t talk, it’s that there may be barriers which hold them back. So, a better question is:

‘How do we remove the barriers which might shut men down’?

These barriers might include negative messaging about men such as toxic masculinity, male privilege and the pale male brigade, or barriers like searing social inequality and a cost-of-living crisis, but many societal expectations about men haven’t caught up (like a successful man is one who provides). Therefore, if your male workforce is not engaging, it’s a solvable issue, and you can make a start by ditching the ‘men don’t talk’ narrative and explore how to engage them on their level.”

Andrew is a CPD accredited and TED speaker, podcaster, award-winning campaigner and soon-to-be-author, leading in his work on men’s mental health, also delivering wider wellbeing talks on burnout and work-life balance.

Read Andrew’s story and explore keynote speeches.

“The definition of masculinity is starting to change”

“One of the biggest misunderstandings around men’s mental health is that we’re somehow supposed to just “get on with it.” From a young age, many of us were taught that showing emotion is a sign of weakness, that crying, asking for help, or admitting we’re struggling makes us less of a man. After being bullied because I was different, I kept everything inside and it nearly cost me my life.

When I finally opened up, I realised that strength isn’t about keeping it together, it’s about having the courage to let people in. During The 401 Challenge, I met so many men who’d been carrying similar pain, often in silence. What stayed with me; even to this day, was how quickly connection and vulnerability turned into understanding and hope.

Thankfully, the definition of masculinity is starting to change. More men are realising that being strong doesn’t mean being silent. It means being self aware, compassionate, and brave enough to face your own emotions.

The old stereotypes are fading, but we’ve still got a long way to go. We need to change the idea that men have to be this old school version of a man. Equality for men isn’t about giving us special treatment; it’s about creating space where we can be honest, emotional, and human, without fear or judgement. Because when we do that, we don’t just save ourselves, we give others permission to do the same.”

Ben Smith’s extraordinary journey is one of resilience, transformation, and redefining what’s possible. Struggling with bullying, mental health challenges, and hiding his sexuality, he faced despair that led to two suicide attempts. But instead of giving up, Ben chose to change everything, turning his pain into a mission that would inspire and uplift thousands.

Read Ben’s story and explore keynote speeches.

“Men have been excluded from the DEI discussion”

“I think in the recent collective autopsy on “where on earth does DE&I go from here?!” one thing has stood out for me above all else and that is men have not been part of the solution in the way they should be.

Not enough consideration was given to the fact that men were feeling excluded too and for not very obvious reasons: their thinking or communication style, their mental health or even the fact they simply didn’t like football.

Our response to DE&I wasn’t nuanced or agile enough to factor in these considerations.

Part of this is because DE&I didn’t link to other vital corporate agendas such as wellbeing or leadership development. Had it done so we’d have noticed that many men also had to conform lots in order to fit in. Moreover, as we worked down the generations, lots of men wanted exactly the same things other groups were wanting: parental freedom, respect from their bosses, to be understood as an individual, to name but a few. The mental health crisis is particularly acute for men and that, for me, is a reason for IMD to engage men as part of the solution to meaningful, intelligent inclusion.”

Read Tom’s story and explore keynote speeches.

“Gender equality benefits men”

“At Male Allies UK, we explore the barriers and benefits, alongside the drivers and demotivators of men engaging in inclusion and building allyship skills. It can certainly feel like a zero-sum game, and that you would be giving a piece of your pie away, given how it is often communicated and the current volatility in the world.

But all our research, interviews with men, and work with companies highlight something different. We see that engaging in inclusion and building allyship skills is beneficial to men in a number of different ways.

Men report benefits including being less scared of making mistakes, needing to always have an answer less, and being more self-aware of the risks and opportunities around them. They share feelings of being more connected to others, fulfilled seeing other people thrive and are kinder and more forgiving to themselves.

80% of men saw workplace and commercial benefits from going on the journey, the discomfort being a driver of growth. And with 97% of men advising that it had made them a better leader and a better human, it’s much less about losing and giving a piece of your pie away, and much more about baking a bigger pie together, and building a vital skill for the uncertain world we live in today. Gender equality benefits men. That is a message worth sharing on International Men’s Day.”

Read Lee’s story and explore keynote speeches.

“Men will talk about mental health, if you give them a safe space”

“A common mis-understanding around men’s mental health is that men won’t talk about their mental health.

My experience is that men will talk about mental health: if you give them a safe space to do so, without judgment or expectation.

Even reframing words can help to open a conversation, particularly when men can be reluctant to talk about ‘mental health’ as it can be related to a sense of weakness, failure or inadequacy. ‘Mental fitness’ however, is more positive and seen as something proactive that we have to keep working on, just like going to the gym.

Changing the environment can also help. Walking side by side, in nature, or even sitting in a car, removes the eye contact and reactions that we try and avoid, to make it easier to truly open up and share what’s going on for us. Sometimes this starts by being open ourselves so that others feel safe and have permission to do the same.”

Read Alex’s story and explore keynote speeches.

What next?

International Men’s Day reminds us that equality is not a zero-sum game – it’s a shared commitment to understanding, empathy and action. By recognising the unique challenges men face and creating space for honest dialogue, organisations can take meaningful steps toward a more inclusive, supportive culture for everyone. Whether it’s addressing mental health, promoting positive role models, or tackling outdated stereotypes, progress begins with awareness and sustained engagement.

To bring these conversations to life in your organisation, book a speaker for International Men’s Day (and beyond) and inspire your teams with fresh perspectives and real-world stories. And if you’re ready to turn awareness into action, speak to Mix Diversity about launching tailored training or workshops around IMD and men’s wellbeing. Together, we can ensure that inclusion truly means everyone – every voice, every experience, every day.