Wednesday 19 November marks the twenty-seventh International Men’s Day. Unlike International Women’s Day, it has no formal recognition from the United Nations. But it will be the cause for celebration and reflection in more than 80 countries. There will be gala dinners, fundraisers, conferences, and all manner of community events being held around the world.

There are several ACT-specific events taking place for International Men’s Day:

• Paul Withall and supporters of Zerosuicide Community Awareness Program will return to the lawn in front of Parliament House, with a display of 2,500 empty shoes to represent the number of men and boys lost to suicide each year. This comprises a public display, talks, and tying ribbons around shoes to remember individuals. General display on Wednesday 19 November, plus a second display for politicians on Wednesday 26 November from 10am until 3pm. Details and photos are here: facebook.com/events/1798339951039944
• David Maywald is launching a new book, The Relentless War on Masculinity, on Wednesday 19 November, as part of a global livestream that is being produced by Dads4Kids. The paperback, e-book and audiobook versions will be widely available on Amazon, Booktopia, Dymocks, Google Play, Apple Books, Kobo, BorrowBox, Fable, and other platforms. A description of the book is here: amazon.com.au/dp/B0FY3XV55T
• The Menslink Great Walk covered five days and 142 km along the Canberra Centenary Trail. The final day on Saturday 15 November saw the walkers return to Parliament House, before finishing at the Southern Cross Yacht Club in Yarralumla. The 2025 event has raised over $374,000, and donations can be made here: menslinkgreatwalk.com.au
• A day-long forum for International Men’s Day is being held at the Hyatt Hotel on Friday 21 November. Speakers include Canberran Phil Gouldson (who brought International Men’s Day to Australia in 2003), Glen Poole (CEO of the Australian Men’s Health Forum), and Bec Forrest (founder of both the Festival of Women and the IMD Forum in the Northern Territory). Tickets and details are available at: events.humanitix.com/international-men-s-day-forum-canberra-2025

Behind the book

David Maywald is a father to a son and a daughter, a board member of two Canberra charities, and a passionate advocate for men and boys. His provocative new book is launching on International Men’s Day itself (Wednesday 19 November). It is titled The Relentless War on Masculinity: Does it Ever End? The book takes a no-holds-barred approach with explicit criticism of the “Four Horsewomen of Modern Feminism”.

Similar to The Great Feminization by Helen Andrews, Maywald argues that Western countries have shifted from being androcentric to now being gynocentric. Gynocentrism refers to societies that favour the traits, interests and preferences of females. While Andrews expresses concern for civilisational collapse as a consequence of excessive feminisation, Maywald calls for a rebalancing of feminine and masculine energies through better collaboration between the sexes.

Book review: What one Canberra father can teach us about widening the gender conversation

by Diana Riley

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 lower than the national average, and in the ACT Public Service, it has reversed, with women earning slightly more than men on average. These are real gains, and they should be celebrated. They are the result of decades of advocacy, leadership and cultural reform.

But progress, if we want it to endure, requires us to keep asking questions. And one question is quietly rising across dinner tables, staff rooms, sports clubs and homes: how are our boys and men faring in this landscape?

Local Canberra father and author David Maywald steps directly into that conversation with his forthcoming book, The Relentless War on Masculinity, to be released on International Men’s Day, 19 November.

For those already concerned about how our sons, brothers, fathers and mates are doing, the book may feel like a long exhale — a relief that someone is naming what has felt unsayable. For others, particularly those new to the idea that boys and men may be struggling, it may be confronting. Maywald writes with conviction, and he does not hide where he stands. There is frustration in these pages, yes — but also care. A deep care for boys and men in our community, and a belief that we all deserve to flourish.

You may not agree with all his conclusions. At times, the book’s argument is direct and firmly stated — and that may feel uncomfortable. But discomfort can be productive. As Wharton professor and bestselling author Adam Grant reminds us in Think Again, progress often begins when we are willing to question our assumptions and sit with ideas that feel complicated.

Maywald’s core message will feel familiar to many parents: he is trying to make sense of a shifting world and wants both his daughter and his son to feel they have a meaningful place in it. He speaks to a sentiment many men feel but rarely voice: that in an era rightly focused on advancing girls and women, boys and men can sometimes feel as though they are being written out of the story.

This is where his book offers its most valuable contribution. It invites us to hold two truths at once: gender equality has delivered essential gains for women, and we also need to attend to the wellbeing, belonging and positive outcomes of boys and men.

These are not opposing aims. They are interdependent. As researcher and author Warren Farrell, known for his work on fatherhood and boys’ development, wrote: “The sexes don’t rise by tearing each other down. They rise together.”

And here in Canberra, the data invites us to look more closely:

• By Year 9, boys in ACT schools trail girls in writing by nearly 20 percentage points.
• In 2022, 72% of school suspensions in ACT public schools were boys.
• Men comprise 70% of suicides in the ACT.
• And many skilled migrant men are working below their level of qualification, struggling to find belonging and opportunity.

These aren’t just statistics. They are stories. They are real lives. They belong to our colleagues, classmates, neighbours and friends.

Maywald is one of the voices working to create space for these conversations. In 2023, he established the Award for Men in Leadership, offering professional development and year-long mentorship to local men. This year, he continues that work with the release of his book.

And importantly, he is not alone. On 21 November, an open community-led International Men’s Day event will take place at the Hyatt — a space to listen, reflect and connect.

As someone who has worked in gender equality for 20 years — and is now completing a PhD on men, masculinities and fatherhood — I believe Canberra is uniquely placed to lead this next chapter of the conversation. We already know how to show up for women. Let’s show up for boys and men too. This is not about replacing one group’s progress with another. It is about widening the circle. Because when everyone belongs, everyone rises. We rise together.

Diana Riley is a Canberra mother, an expert in gender equality, and is writing a PhD thesis on men, masculinities and fatherhood. She has read an advance copy of The Relentless War on Masculinity by David Maywald.