A Shocking Turn in the War on Men - Richard Reeves
Why It Matters
Embedding men’s issues in policy reshapes electoral calculus and could close critical health and economic gaps for half the population.
Key Takeaways
- •Governors across states launch initiatives targeting boys' education, employment, mental health.
- •Congress introduces men's health strategy and post‑fatherhood mental health bills.
- •Political shift: Democrats courting young men after 2024 election losses.
- •Advocacy groups push for accountability on promised men‑focused policies.
- •Goal: normalize men’s issues, making them mainstream and institutionalized.
Summary
The interview highlights a rapid political turn on the “boys and men” crisis, with multiple state governors and federal legislators now proposing concrete policies to address education, employment and mental‑health gaps among males.
Recent actions include executive orders in California, new men’s health strategies in Congress, and bills targeting post‑fatherhood mental health. Democrats, chastened by the 2024 loss of young male voters, are courting the demographic, while Republican‑leaned activists question the motives behind the initiatives.
Richard Reeves cites Governor Newsom’s executive order, Governor Whitmer’s service challenge, and Virginia’s upcoming commission on boys and men as tangible steps. He also warns that activists often view success as a threat to their identity, quoting a rabbi on the psychological reluctance to celebrate wins.
If these measures become institutionalized, men’s health and social outcomes could improve, but sustained oversight will be essential to prevent tokenism and ensure lasting change.
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