The Race for Life event at Chantry Park today was a real success with hundreds of women jogging or walking 5km to raise awareness of breast cancer.
I went along to cheer on a family member with my husband, son and grandchildren but I have to admit that I felt a little annoyed, at the choice of day.
Men are being marginalised in so many areas of family life. They are second best when it comes to family law, are ridiculed in adverts, and have a bad press when it comes to split families. Women have come a long way in striving for equality but the process has seen a reversal in how the sexes are treated, in my opinion.
Fathers Day is the one day of the year that we can all come together and say thankyou to all the men who support, protect and give love to their families. It should hold equal importance to Mothers Day. so why on earth was it sabotaged like this when there are so many Sundays, or even a Saturday from which to choose an event like Race For Life? Men hardly get the recognition they deserve. Why begrudge the one day where they do?
I even suspected at one point that it was done on purpose, but dismissed this as being too spiteful to contemplate. I even tried to come up with some reasons why this day was picked. After all a father is lost if something happens to the mother of their children through something as awful as cancer. But as hard as I tried, I could think of no good reason why Fathers Day was not considered a celebration in its own right and kept sacrosanct.
Many men not only have their own children to enjoy the day with, but also have to find time to visit their own fathers. With many split units this can involve step fathers too, needing the whole day to juggle around priorities so that there are no upsets.The Race for Life was a huge event which took up several hours leaving a minimal part of the day in which to fit the logistics that reflect family life today.
No, I'm sorry, I found it unforgiveable and it marred the whole occasion for me. I would love someone to give me an explanation for which I would gladly apologise that I got this wrong. Anyone out there know?
And if so how about a Men's only racing event to promote awareness about testicular cancer, next Mothers Day.
We could call it Balls to Mothers Day!
Well said Nadia. I really hate the way men are ridiculed and infantilised in adverts.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gavin. I have challenged Race for Life by twitter but no reply. I await further but if I receive no response, that will leave me with my own quiet opinion on why not.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point, Nadia - and refreshing to hear it made by a woman! To be honest I've never taken much notice of Father's Day, but this year, because my father died in March, it's had a particular poignancy. I DO feel that men are getting ridiculously bad press at the moment, especially when I think of men with the courage, tenacity and unstinting generosity of my father. I'm not sure I'd want to stigmatise Race for Life for their choice of day, but yes, it would have been nice if they'd chosen - say - Mothers' Day...?
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Scott. I agree the charity is great and the problems I have laid out come from all sorts of media, not Race For Life. however they pick this time of year every year and I just wanted to highlight that I don't find it acceptable if it clashes with such an important day. It's an all women's race and should be organised with sensitivity to men.
ReplyDeleteequality you know!
Sorry to hear about your dad. I lost mine 10 years agao and still miss him terribly. he would have loved the footy 2012!
sorry Allan. called you Scott. How about that for equality! That's the trouble with 2 first names xx:)
ReplyDelete