Let’s lift together on International Men’s Day
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Canberra likes to see itself as ahead of the curve on gender equality — and in many ways, it is.
The ACT’s gender pay gap is among the lowest in the country, and in the ACT Public Service it has reversed, with women earning slightly more than men on average. These are real gains, hard-won and worth celebrating.
But progress, if we want it to endure, requires us to keep asking questions. And one question is quietly rising across dinner tables, workplaces, sports clubs and homes: how are our boys and men really faring?
This Friday, a community-led International Men’s Day event will be held at the Hyatt. After a slower-than-expected uptake, organisers have now made the remaining tickets free. Some might see that as evidence that men’s health “just isn’t a hot topic.” I see something different. I see an opportunity — a moment where Canberra can show who we are: a city known for inclusiveness, thoughtfulness, and care.
Because the truth is, many men in our community are struggling. And they’re doing so quietly.
The ACT Government’s current inquiry into suicide has revealed one of the most confronting statistics in our own backyard: men make up around 70 per cent of suicides in the ACT. In our local schools, the picture is similarly sobering. By Year 9, boys in the ACT are trailing girls in writing by nearly 20 percentage points. In 2022, over 70 per cent of school suspensions in ACT public schools were boys. These aren’t abstract figures. They represent our colleagues, classmates, neighbours, and sons.
And yet, when we talk about gender in Australia, these conversations often sit in the shadows.
It’s important to be clear: this is not about undoing the extraordinary strides we’ve made for women and girls. Canberra has made real gains for women — from workplace equality to strong representation in public life. The reversal of the gender pay gap in the ACT Public Service is a reminder of what is possible when equity becomes a shared value.
Now, we have the chance to show the same generosity of spirit to boys and men — not in competition with the gains made for women, but in partnership with them.
As someone who has worked in gender equality and public policy for 20 years — and who is now completing a PhD at ANU on men, masculinities and fatherhood — I believe Canberra is uniquely placed to lead this next chapter. Our city already understands the power of fairness. We already know how to show up for women. We can also choose to show up for boys and men, and in doing so, strengthen the whole community.
Because the well-being of men is not a fringe issue. It is a community issue. A workplace issue. A family’s issue. A health issue. And ultimately, a gender equality issue too.
International Men’s Day is an invitation for us to show we care. It asks us to recognise the pressures many men carry silently — pressures around identity, mental health, belonging, and what it means to be “enough.” And when men fall through the cracks, families, workplaces, and communities feel it too.
So, if you’ve ever worried about a young man withdrawing from school, if you’ve seen a male colleague struggle under the weight of unspoken expectations, if you’ve lost a mate to suicide, or if you simply believe Canberra is at its best when no one is left behind — this Friday’s event is for you. And it’s now free.
Register your attendance here.
It’s a small gesture with a big message. Progress is not a zero-sum game. When boys and men thrive, women and girls do too. Stronger families, healthier workplaces, safer communities — these are outcomes that lift us all.
Canberra has long been a place that leads with its values. Let’s do that again.
