“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men,” is the wise advice of Frederick Douglass. At the bottom of our website, you will find these six words describing the work of Dads4Kids: “Building men, growing fathers, changing generations.”
That’s why the theme for last year’s International Men’s Day was celebrating men and boys. That is why Dads4Kids has been actively supporting International Men’s Day for almost two decades.
The conversation in the video below is an excerpt from the International Men’s Day global live broadcast, bringing together leading voices from around the world to speak honestly about men, boys, and the future of society.
In this segment, Warren Farrell explains the boy crisis — and why fathers matter more than many in our society are willing to admit.
Once described as a leading feminist voice, Warren shares the pivotal moment that changed his life and career: confronting the research showing what happens to children — especially boys — when fathers are absent.
Speaking that truth came at a cost, including professional rejection and early forms of cancel culture. But it also launched decades of advocacy for boys, men, and families.
Warren unpacks how fatherlessness affects education, mental health, suicide risk, and long-term wellbeing — not only for boys, but for women, families, and society as a whole.
He challenges the false idea that supporting men harms women, arguing instead that when men and boys fail, everyone pays the price.
This excerpt is a powerful reminder that strong fathers are not a luxury — they are foundational to healthy families and a healthy culture.
Below is a transcript edited for clarity and brevity from the above longer-form video.
Nathaniel Marsh: Warren, my question is, “How do we get more men and women taking up an active role of advocating for men and boys?”
Warren Farrell: This is the first time in human history that people have not had to be so focused all their lives on survival. And in the developed nations around the world, in the middle and upper middle class, people want to have meaning because they’re already able to take care of survival issues.
And so, we have to explain to everyone. When boys don’t do well, when there’s a boy crisis, there’s also a girl crisis. When there’s a man crisis, there’s also a woman crisis.
When a man commits suicide, his wife is usually extremely unhappy, and the mother and father say, “What did I do wrong?” And the daughter and the son say, “Oh my G-d, my father will never be with me again. Maybe I’m going to commit suicide at that age, too. Maybe it’s in the family. Maybe it’s in the genes.”
So many people are impacted when men don’t do well. We’re all in the same family boat. And when only one sex wins, both sexes lose.
So, yes. We need to get this message out to the world. We need everyone to know that when you speak up for and help boys and men, you are also helping women.
Women who are seeking future husbands who will be fathers to their children have no interest in going around unemployment lines looking for them. Women are not looking for a man as a prospective husband who’s living in his parents’ basement at the age of 30.
And so, advocating for and helping men and boys is a win-win situation for all of humanity.
Nathaniel Marsh: Yeah, that’s a great message, Warren. We couldn’t agree with you more, that when we lift up men and boys, we actually lift up women and girls as well…
Look, you are a very published author. You’ve written over 12 books, Warren. I really enjoyed your interview with Jordan Peterson on the Boy Crisis a few years ago, too. Check out Warren Farrell on YouTube. He’s all over the internet.
Warren, I wanted to ask you, what are some positive strengths of masculinity? We’re celebrating men and boys today on International Men’s Day…
Warren Farrell: Yes. I’m living here in the United States and speaking English, but I could be speaking German. In 1939, Nazi Germany went to war to take over the whole world… If it wasn’t for the willingness of men here in America and Australia to die to win the Second World War, we would not be here today… The fact that men are prepared to die for others is one of their enormous strengths.
Yes, you could argue that war is toxic, but to fight for the greater good so that others might live in peace is a great strength…
Feminists often say that masculinity is toxic because men can fight. But to fight for the greater good of humanity is an act of manly courage. Men are prepared to sacrifice everything about them that is human, so that others can remain human.
Nathaniel Marsh: Exactly. Those masculine strengths, when used for bad, are toxic. But used well, directed in the right way, they are great strengths. Positive male masculinity is one of the great strengths of humanity.
Lovework
Thanks to your support for Dads4Kids and our support for International Men’s Day, things are changing for the better for men and boys. Last Tuesday, 27 January, Kellie Sloane, the Leader of the Opposition in New South Wales, announced the appointment of Matt Cross MP as the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Men’s Health. The newspaper headline said, “Masculinity Should be Celebrated“. See the 2GB interview here.
Thankfully, in December 2025, the Victorian Labor leader changed the title of the ‘Parliamentary Secretary for Men’s Behaviour Change’ to include Men’s Health and Wellbeing. We also have a new Men’s Health Envoy in Federal Parliament appointed in May 2025, which again is a move in the right direction.
This is all the result of hard work by many, many wonderful people, but I am convinced it would not have happened without your support, which has enabled us to promote International Men’s Day here in Australia and around the world over the last 18 years.
Together we can make a difference. Massive thanks!
Yours for Supporting Men & Boys,
Warwick Marsh
PS: We need helpers to support and promote International Men’s Day.
Please drop me an email if you are interested: warwick@webshield.net.au
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Image courtesy of Adobe.