PRESS RELEASE:
Contact: G. Lawrence DeMarco, LLM
Email: ldemarco@menandboys.net
Phone: +1-215-901-1930
Our Neglect of Men is Having Devastating Consequences on Families, the Economy, and More
September 25, 2024 — French professor Olivier Roy recently highlighted the profound societal changes in traditional norms and structures in Western societies in recent decades. (1) In his book The Crisis of Culture, Roy argues that the deculturation of society has contributed to a crisis in which the roles and well-being of men have been increasingly neglected. This oversight has significant repercussions for families, economic stability, and even national security.
Labor Force: Many of the problems can be traced to the declining labor force participation of men. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s landmark report, The State of the Working and Non-Working Man, highlights the alarming decline in male labor force participation in recent decades. (2)
Rubio’s report reveals how the absence of men from the workforce leads to a reduction in overall economic productivity, increases in welfare dependency, and a shrinking tax base. (3) Other countries such as Italy and Israel also have reported significant drops in male workforce participation. (4)
Families: With fewer men able to fulfill their roles as providers, men are less willing to enter into marriage. (5) Families are experiencing increased rates of poverty, mental health issues, and breakdowns in family cohesion. (6)
Economy: More than 100 countries report lower levels of male secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion, compared to girls (7). Male disadvantages in education cost society 13.9% productivity over a decade, according to the World Bank. (8)(p. 3)
National Security: The neglect of men’s roles in society also has led to weakened national security, as the U.S. Army reports a 35% decline in male recruits between 2013 and 2023. (9) A report from the U.S. Army War College suggests that traditional military masculinity, once a driver for recruitment, is now less appealing to young men. (10) Experts blame a variety of other factors, including increased rates of suicide and drug overdose, and a national “crisis of masculinity.” (11)
Addressing the neglect of men has support from both conservative and liberal-leaning organizations. (12) The International Council for Men and Boys urges government officials, community organizations, and the public to support initiatives that address male disadvantages and promote gender equality for men.
The International Council for Men and Boys is a non-governmental organization that is working to celebrate the contributions of men to society and to end the 12 sex disparities that affect men and boys around the world. Achieving #GenderEqualityForMen also will benefit women. https://www.menandboys.net/
Links:
- Olivier Roy, The Crisis of Culture: https://philosophynow.org/issues/162/The_Crisis_of_Culture_by_Olivier_Roy
- Marco Rubio, The State of the Working and Non-Working Man. https://www.rubio.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The-State-of-the-Working-and-Non-Working-Man-vf-1.pdf
- Marco Rubio, The State of the Working and Non-Working Man.
- https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/long-term-decline-us-prime-age-male-labour-force-participation
- https://ourworldindata.org/marriages-and-divorces#:~:text=Overall%2C%20the%20trend%20shows%20a,to%2064%25%20projected%20for%202020.
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/co-parenting-after-divorce/201205/father-absence-father-deficit-father-hunger
- https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/111041644611110155/pdf/Educational-Underachievement-Among-Boys-and-Men.pdf
- https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/111041644611110155/pdf/Educational-Underachievement-Among-Boys-and-Men.pdf
- https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/06/14/armys-recruiting-problem-male.html
- https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/articles/century-of-military-masculinity/
- https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/326948/WHO-MSD-MER-19.3-eng.pdf
- https://aibm.org