But that's not what today is about, damn it. The bitter self-flagellating misandrist in my head (that likes to tell me it's "feminism") can take a day off. Being the thing that I am is not a bad thing, and, if you're a man too, the same goes for you.

I'm a man. I don't often feel like a man (I'm more often a "dude" or "some guy"). When I reflect on what me being a "man" means in our society, it's often something that brings me shame and self-loathing and hopelessness. Men are really fucking things up, and I'm one of them.

As with anything, we should oppose behaviour that perpetuates unacceptable conditions, but also take care not to dismiss or discourage the behaviour and mindset we *want* to see. Celebrate positive growth, nurture healthy masculinity and masculine people.

It can be tough to see a world that's so full of hostile, self-absorbed, predatory, delusional, brutish and pathetic men, and to have most of our role models - even from early childhood - be defined by their capacity for physical violence or domination of others.