It’s so fascinating that we dedicate separate days for certain special occasions. Take Valentine’s Day for instance, an ecstatic celebration of love, and within that, there’s Galentine’s Day celebrating female friendships on the thirteenth of February. But, how many of us are aware of Malentine’s Day? Some of us might not have even heard of this term. Celebrated on the twelfth of February, Malentine’s Day is designated to the menfolk and their friendships. Even I was not aware of this term until one of my male friends complained about not having a day to celebrate male friendships. This episode led me to dig the internet, leading me to discover about Malentine’s Day! It made me realize how little we talk about it in our everyday lives.
This incident made me think deeply about my male friendships. While I’ve always supported my female friends, looking back, I realize that I haven’t done the same for my male friends. If college made me realize the importance of girlfriends, school was extra special because of my male friends. From my experience, male friendships are as strong and beautiful as any other. These boys, they’re your ‘bros’. They don’t make you feel uncomfortable while sharing things and they would probably be the only boys who won’t discriminate or judge you.
When I asked my friend, Vivek Sandilya, about his female friendships, he said, ”I think it’s very important to have good female friends; it adds a different dimension to your character, especially respect.” Another friend of mine, Deiveek Agarwal said, ”Both male and female friendships are almost the same, but the latter comes with certain boundaries.”
In my life, if there’s any way in which male friendships impacted me, it had to be in dealing with my problems. Almost all of my male friends approach their life problems with calmness and composedness. And when it comes to my difficulties, they may not have a solution for it but they surely know how to make humor out of it in a bid to make me feel lighter (haha). I think this has taught me to live life more freely, without taking everything seriously.
I feel male friendships are significantly influenced by societal prejudices associated with ‘being a man’. We expect men to be strong, courageous, fearless, and donning a brave face. I have come across girls saying that male friendships lack emotional quotient as compared to female ones. But honestly, I believe we often overlook the inner battles and struggles men face. At times, due to this, we might misunderstand their feelings and emotions. When I asked my friend, Darpan Goswami, about his thoughts on ‘being a man’. He said, “It’s a responsibility that’s given to us without much appreciation”. Agreeing with him, Jonak Saikia added, “There’s too much pressure of being a man.”
This sentence hit me hard. Like females, males are also beautifully multi-layered beings created by God. It’s just that, too often, we tend to overlook their inherent beauty and rather get fixated on the rogue and tough facade they’re expected to uphold due to societal norms.
I firmly believe that there should be more awareness about Malentine’s Day in our society. Similar to Galentine’s Day, brands and shops should push for offers on the twelfth of February to celebrate male friendships. There should be more conversation about their friendships and emotions. And women, on their part, should try to make this day special for their loved ones.
Lastly, I’ve decided to start valuing and cherishing all my male relations more deeply. I believe they deserve just as much admiration and recognition as any other relation in my life. Lastly, I’ll also make sure to express my love for them and acknowledge how much joy they bring into my life. Thank you, my bros!