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You may not have realised but today is International Men’s Day.

No, I’m not kidding. If you are inclined to seek out means to mark the event, no doubt you will find a contingent of petty males somewhere who are having a manly get-together to celebrate their Y chromosomes.

They might raise frothy flagons of ale and compliment each other on their fine beards.

But, as everyone else on the planet realises, commemorative days are established to champion the underdog or promote the rights of a forgotten cause.

(Image: The People)

In that regard, International Men’s Day (IMD) is as relevant as an International Billionaire’s Day would be. Neither group need our help.

Last year, two-fifths of all tweets about IMD were posted around March 8, which just happened to be International Women’s Day.

Imagine all those disgruntled male sorts bashing out angry posts about the brutally unfair promotion of women’s rights. Poor little diddums, craving attention.

It should calm their fury to know that they still have better pay, better jobs and better employment prospects and are probably less likely to be groped at work.

They don’t become second-class employees after having children, don’t find themselves trapped in low-paid, part-time jobs and don’t bear the worst of welfare cuts.

On a wider world stage, it’s not men who are sold into marriage, flogged for being raped, forced to cover up or threatened by honour killings.

So IMD is just like any other day of the year to most guys – a day when they’re generally faring much better than women.

They should content themselves with Movember, a perfectly acceptable whole month dedicated to raising awareness of male health issues while celebrating their ability to grow facial hair. (We women go through agonies to get rid of ours. Would like to see a man wax his ’tache.)

Now, don’t get me wrong here. I’m married to a man, I’ve got two sons and I’m surrounded by male friends and family members who are wonderful, principled human beings who deserve nothing but respect.

(Image: Getty)

And I don’t think men have it easy either, that life is one great big carefree round of golf for them. Of course it’s not.

I have felt a little creeping sympathy for the decent, honourable majority of males who must feel a little brow-beaten and under scrutiny right now.

Let’s face it, men have had a particularly bad press over recent months.

There’s been the Weinstein scandal spreading like a contaminant through Hollywood and beyond, quickly followed by the Pestminster revelations, taking in the BBC, accusations, admissions and resignations all around as women finally speak out about a culture where they have been routinely groped or abused.

Men have been urged to examine their own behaviour and think about how they may have over-stepped a mark, even those who never have, and never would, make inappropriate advances to females.

It can’t make blokes feel good. But it’s not like they’re oppressed, is it? It’s not like they’re fighting for equal representation in the boardroom, just advised not to sexually harass the women who are already there.

And we had to laugh when Jo Swinson, Lib Dem MP for East Dunbartonshire, told last week’s parliamentary debate on IMD that hapless, bumbling stereotypes like Homer Simpson have helped undermine men’s roles as fathers.

No offence, guys, but if you have to resort to blaming Homer, you probably weren’t up to much in the first place and you’re spending too much time watching TV.

The worst thing about IMD is that it trivialises International Women’s Day and the very real and very serious inequalities, injustices and abuses it highlights.

So let’s not debate it in parliament, where only 32 per cent of MPs are female. When it’s a 50-50 split, we might think again.

Until then, men should be grateful for the 365 days of predominance they enjoy every year.