The Silent Crisis: Addressing the Modern Challenges of Boys and Men
REGISTER HERE | July 29 | 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. | UCA’s Windgate Center for Fine & Performing Arts
To celebrate 40 years of the Community Development Institute (CDI), we invite you to a conversation with Dr. Richard V. Reeves about the modern academic and social challenges facing boys and men today.
Dr. Richard V. Reeves will be leading our Keynote session. He is a nationally recognized researcher, author, and speaker. He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, and Chair of the UK Institute for Boys and Men. Reeves’ career has encompassed roles in national journalism, think tank leadership, government, and public policy, making him a leading voice on the topic of boys’ and men’s well-being.
Why are we hosting this conversation? Because we are in a “silent crisis.” Because it matters.
Men—especially working class men—are struggling in our changing global economy. In the span of only a few decades, the U.S. labor market has been transformed. As a result of structural changes in the economy–for example offshoring and automation–fewer men are working. Many of those who are working have seen a big decline in their wages. Men make up the majority of the workers in many industries most affected by automation. Today, men are less likely than women to graduate high school or earn a four-year college degree. Vocational training has been shown to boost earnings for men without bachelor’s degrees, but investments in these programs are limited.
By multiple measures, boys have fallen far behind in education. Over the last several decades, girls have overtaken boys by nearly every metric in educational outcomes. Today, boys are less prepared to start school and, at nearly every point in their K-12 school career, have lower GPAs than girls. Boys are also less likely to take advanced-placement courses and less likely to graduate high school. Women make up the majority of students on America’s college campuses. Girls are thriving–and that’s good news–but the data couldn’t be more clear. Something’s not working for boys.
Boys and men are increasingly lonely, and at higher risk of suicide and “deaths of despair.” Fifteen percent of young men today say they don’t have a close friend–a five-fold increase since 1990. This loneliness, combined with a range of societal changes and pressures, has resulted in a mental health crisis for American boys and men. Today, men are four times more likely than women to die by suicide but ten percentage points less likely than women to access mental health care.
These are just a handful of concerning statistics that we as a society need to be aware of and address. They are challenges that have immense community and economic development impacts.
If you are looking for additional resources to prepare for this conversation, we encourage you to explore:
- Is there hope for gender equality? A conversation with Richard V. Reeves and Gloria Steinem
- ‘Deseret Voices’ Episode 23 — Men’s identity crisis: Education, mental health and the path forward
- WBUR – Falling Behind: The Miseducation of America’s Boys
- Gone Guys (film)
You can find Reeves’ full bio here: richardvreeves.com/bio/
This Keynote presentation is free to attend but registration is required for non-CDI participants. Complete the registration link if you plan to join us.