Richard Reeves10 October 2022

Does Anyone Care About Men's Struggles? - Richard Reeves - #537

0Frameworks

9Insights

Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 1

Myth Buster65:00

Gender Progress Isn't Zero-Sum: Helping Men Helps Women

Reeves challenges the assumption that supporting boys and men means rolling back gains for women, arguing instead that thriving men contribute to healthier families and better outcomes for everyone.

Many assume helping men requires diverting resources from women.
In reality, stable, engaged fathers benefit children and partners.
Girls also suffer when classrooms are disrupted by struggling boys.
True progress means helping all genders flourish together.

“Helping boys and men succeed is not a betrayal of women—it's a necessity for a functioning society.”
Richard Reeves · 69:30

#gender equality#social policy#family

Hot Take· 2

Hot Take00:30

Why 'Toxic Masculinity' Is a Harmful Term

Richard Reeves argues that the term 'toxic masculinity' is not only vague and overused, but actively harmful. It alienates boys and men from important conversations about healthy masculinity by implying that something inherently toxic must be purged from them.

The term originated in studies of violent incarcerated men, not average males.
It expanded rapidly after 2016, often used to describe any behavior someone dislikes in men.
Labeling masculinity as 'toxic' repels men from self-improvement and constructive dialogue.
Many feminists now agree the term is counterproductive and pushes men away.

“I think it's a toxic term... it's actually repels a lot of boys and men from a conversation about what it means to be a…”
Richard Reeves · 00:30

#masculinity#language#gender discourse

Hot Take58:00

The Real Crisis: Men Are Checking Out, Not Acting Out

Contrary to fears of violent 'angry young men,' Reeves argues the bigger problem is men disengaging from society—retreating into basements, gaming, and pornography—rather than forming 'marauding bands.'

Violent crime has halved despite declining male opportunity.
The real threat is not violence but disengagement and nihilism.
Porn and video games may act as 'sedatives' preventing worse outcomes.
This withdrawal is more insidious than overt rebellion.

“I'm much more worried about the men who are checking out, not the men who are acting out.”
Richard Reeves · 58:00

#mental health#social withdrawal#culture

Explainer· 3

Explainer11:30

How Girls Overtook Boys in Education

Reeves explains how, contrary to expectations, girls have not only caught up to boys in educational attainment but have now significantly surpassed them across all advanced economies, creating a new gender gap.

In the 1970s, campuses were 70% male; today they're 60% female in many countries.
No one predicted this reversal when pushing for gender equality in education.
Girls now outperform boys even in math and science, not just reading and writing.
The gap is structural, not just individual, and affects every level of education.

“We've flipped the inequality now and it's actually wider now than it was when I was born.”
Richard Reeves · 13:00

#education#gender gap#academic performance

Explainer20:00

The Crisis of Missing Male Teachers

With only about 2% of kindergarten teachers in the U.S. being male, Reeves highlights how the lack of male role models in early education negatively impacts boys’ development and long-term outcomes.

Only 2% of U.S. kindergarten teachers are male—fewer than women flying military planes.
Boys perform better when taught by male teachers, especially in subjects like English.
Male teachers are less likely to label boys’ behavior as problematic.
Lack of male presence reinforces gender stereotypes and discourages men from entering education.

“There are twice as many women flying U.S. military planes as there are men teaching kindergarten and Pre-K classes.”
Richard Reeves · 21:30

#education#teachers#role models

Explainer32:30

Why Men Are Falling Behind in the Labor Market

Reeves explains how deindustrialization, automation, and globalization have disproportionately hurt male employment, leading to declining labor force participation and stagnant or falling wages for men.

Manufacturing and manual labor jobs—traditionally male—have been lost to automation and offshoring.
Most men in the U.S. earn less today than their counterparts in 1979.
Women have moved into higher-paying service and professional roles.
Men have not transitioned into growing 'care economy' jobs due to cultural stigma.

“Most men in the US actually earn less today than most men did in '79.”
Richard Reeves · 33:30

#labor market#economics#automation

Story· 1

Story43:30

The Crisis of Fatherhood in the Modern Family

With women economically independent, the traditional role of the father as breadwinner has eroded, leaving many men feeling redundant and disconnected from family life, especially in working-class communities.

Feminism succeeded in breaking women’s economic dependency on men.
This success unintentionally undermined the social role of fathers.
Unmarried and unemployed fathers are increasingly 'benched' in family life.
Fatherlessness is a growing crisis, particularly in disadvantaged areas.

“The risk is the dads become redundant—they're just not needed anymore.”
Richard Reeves · 45:00

#fatherhood#family structure#gender roles

Tool· 2

Tool28:30

Solution: Start Boys in School a Year Later

Reeves proposes delaying boys' school entry by one year to account for their slower neurological development, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which governs impulse control and planning.

Boys mature developmentally later than girls, especially in executive function.
Starting boys later could level the playing field developmentally.
This reform would be structural, not individual, addressing root causes.
Called 'redshirting,' it’s already used informally by some affluent families.

“My proposal is that... the boys should be going in chronologically a year older than girls.”
Richard Reeves · 28:30

#education reform#child development#policy

Tool40:00

Promote HEAL Careers for Men: Health, Education, Administration, Literacy

Reeves advocates for actively encouraging men into 'HEAL' professions—Health, Education, Administration, and Literacy—as a structural solution to male underemployment and to improve care services.

Growing care economy jobs are female-dominated and culturally seen as 'unmanly.'
Men in care roles improve outcomes for male patients and children.
We need male-targeted scholarships and employer incentives.
Just as we pushed women into STEM, we should push men into HEAL.

“We should be doing the same right now for men into these jobs—exactly the same level of intention and force.”
Richard Reeves · 42:00

#careers#workforce#policy