yes, there are good men
And we need to say it loudly!
Dearest Gentle Reader,
I have lived long enough to see how easily the world swings from one extreme to another. One moment, we are celebrating humanity with all its beautiful contradictions. The next, we are sweeping half of that humanity into a corner and labeling them as the problem.
Somewhere along the line, it became fashionable to say all men are terrible. It became trendy to talk about masculinity only in negative terms. Bad stories spread faster than truth, and bitterness began to wear the costume of enlightenment.
But if we are honest with ourselves, we'd understand that every human being carries two sides. We carry light and shadow. We have both strength and weakness. And we all also exhibit wisdom and foolishness. This is not a male problem or a female problem. It is a human reality. There have always been violent men and violent women. There have always been irresponsible men and irresponsible women. Duality is woven into us from birth.
So it makes no sense to judge an entire gender by the failings of a few. That is how prejudice grows, you know. Maybe you don’t. So, I'm telling you now; THAT IS HOW PREJUDICE GROWS AND HATRED BECOMES NORMAL! That is how a generation is taught to fear what they should instead learn from and appreciate.
I know good men.
I know men who pray for their families in secret.
I know men who wake up early and work themselves tired so others can rest.
I know men who carry burdens silently because they never want to be the reason someone else breaks.
I know men who build, repair, sacrifice, support, lead, serve, and love even when no one applauds.
These are the men who shaped civilisations and opened the doors to the world we now enjoy. Such men still stand as pillars in families, communities, and the world at large.
History remembers their courage even when society forgets their humanity.
From the industrial revolution to the digital age, men were at the forefront of making life in earth comfortable.
From the first engines to the rockets touching space, and from medical breakthroughs to the emergence of artificial intelligence, men were at the forefront. Really, what would life on earth have been if not for such imperfect, flawsome yet present and kind men?
Yet modern narratives often act as if goodness in masculinity is a myth. Gender warriors talk and act as if all that remains of male humans are villains and oppressors. As if no father wakes up with love in his chest. As if no husband is affectionate. As if no brother protects. As if no uncle provides. As if no male friend is honest. As if no son honours!
We cannot keep strengthening this one-sided story. It is harmful. And frankly, it is dishonest.
I want to raise sons who are proud to be men, not ashamed.
I want to raise daughters who see men as allies, not enemies.
I want a home where respect flows in every direction, not a battlefield where genders compete for superiority.
That's why we must trash those demonic generalisation.
Yes, there are good men. They exist in abundance. And they deserve to be acknowledged without fear nor apology, and without being drowned out by the loud drumbeats of misandry masquerading as empowerment.
So, as we celebrate the International Men's Day today, let this serve as a reminder that masculinity is not a crime.
Strong men still hold families together.
Gentle men still heal what others break.
Integrity, honour, and responsibility are still attributes of most men.
And to every man reading this: do not shrink. Do not apologise for being who God made you to be. The world may distort masculinity, but heaven does not. You shouldn't either!
What the world calls toxic, Jesus calls necessary. Men are not perfect, but men are good. And good men still walk this earth, shaping it in ways that matter, to the glory of God.
Happy International Men's Day!
— Jaachịmmá Anyatọnwụ
The Bard Influencer