Where were the men?

I am sure yesterday did not pass by without anyone realising that it was International Women's Day. Did you know, however, that the theme for the day was "inspire inclusion". This is incredibly important because women are under represented in Parliament, on the boards of UK companies and in senior rolls. Women are generally paid less than their male counterparts. There is a long way to go and at the current rate women's share workplace management will only reach 30% by 2050. However, that is not what I saw yesterday. What I saw was men congratulating women's achievements, women rightly celebrating their achievements and photos galore. Yet I did not see any men in any of the photo's. What happened to them? Where was the inclusion? Where were the stories from mentors and men championing women? This is important because if we want to inspire inclusion men must be included.

How disappointing we didn't see photos of mixed boards. What a missed opportunity not to hear how some organisations have challenged the norm with equality policies and cultures. When we include men, we as a society will make progress. We don't want men cheering from the sides only to forget the message the very next day.

Inclusion is important not only for women's mental health but also for men's. What summed up the day for me was two female BBC presenters discussing the day and one asked about an international men's day. The response: "Everyday is men's day." Is it really, when men can't speak out and are the ones most likely to die by suicide.