Brookings Scholar Lecture Series
Brookings Mountain West
2-22-2023
Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It
Matters, and What To Do About It
Richard Reeves
The Brookings Institution
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Reeves, R. (2023). Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What To Do
About It.
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Of Boys and Men
Greenspun Hall, UNLV
February 22nd, 2023
Richard V. Reeves
@richardvreeves
Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
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“Comment is free, facts are
sacred.” – C.P. Scott
Men takin their own life
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EDUCATION
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Bigger college gender gap than in 1972
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The college gap, around the world
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UNLV enrollment by sex
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UNLV graduation by sex (6 year rate)
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Girls leaving boys behind in high school
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Test score gaps in the Mountain West…
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Gender gaps in HS graduation, Mountain West
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Boy brains v. girl brains
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Not enough Misters
WORK
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In 1979, 13% of women earned more
than the median man…
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Now, 40% do
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Rising wages for women, & more inequality
Wage Dispersion by Gender, Prime-Age Workers
60%
50%
Cumulative Percent Change
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
-10%
-20%
Men 20th
Men Median
Men 80th
Women 20th
Women Median
Women 80th
Source: Author's analysis of CPS ORG data retrieved from CEPR
2018
2015
2012
2009
2006
2003
2000
1997
1994
1991
1988
1985
1982
1979
-30%
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Gender wage gap for
under-30s, selected
MW metros:
Source: Vong, A., Gilbertson, K. M., Lim, K., Saladino, C. J., Brown, W. E. (2022). The Gender
Wage Gap in the Mountain West. Economic Development & Workforce Fact Sheet No. 51 1-4.
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Not enough men in HEAL jobs
FAMILY
1 in 3 wives are main breadwinners
70%
60%
50%
40%
Women who earn more than their spouses, among dualearner couples
30%
20%
10%
0%
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
Source: Author’s estimates using Decennial Census and American Community Survey via IPUMS.
Estimates of mothers’ labor force participation from BLS 2019, “Women in the labor force: a databook.”
2005
2010
2015
And more educated than husbands
70%
60%
50%
Women who are more educated than their spouses,
among all married couples
40%
30%
Women who earn more than their spouses, among dualearner couples
20%
10%
0%
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
Source: Author’s estimates using Decennial Census and American Community Survey via IPUMS.
Estimates of mothers’ labor force participation from BLS 2019, “Women in the labor force: a databook.”
2005
2010
2015
Women are now 40% of primary or sole breadwinners
70%
60%
Households in which a woman is the primary or sole earner,
among households with any earnings
50%
40%
Women who are more educated than their spouses, among
all married couples
30%
20%
Women who earn more than their spouses, among dualearner couples
10%
0%
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
Source: Author’s estimates using Decennial Census and American Community Survey via IPUMS.
Estimates of mothers’ labor force participation from BLS 2019, “Women in the labor force: a databook.”
2005
2010
2015
And working when they have young children
70%
60%
Labor force participation of women with children under
age 6
50%
Households in which a woman is the primary or sole
earner, among households with any earnings
40%
30%
Women who are more educated than their spouses,
among all married couples
20%
Women who earn more than their spouses, among dualearner couples
10%
0%
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
Source: Author’s estimates using Decennial Census and American Community Survey via IPUMS.
Estimates of mothers’ labor force participation from BLS 2019, “Women in the labor force: a databook.”
2005
2010
2015
40% of births are outside marriage
SOLUTIONS
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So, what?
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“Redshirt” (delay school entry) for boys by default
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So, what?
•
“Redshirt” (delay school entry) for boys by default
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1,000 new Technical High Schools, doubling to 15% share students
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So, what?
•
“Redshirt” (delay school entry) for boys by default
•
1,000 new Technical High Schools, doubling to 15% share students
•
1m more apprenticeships
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So, what?
•
“Redshirt” (delay school entry) for boys by default
•
1,000 new Technical High Schools, doubling to 15% share students
•
1m more apprenticeships
•
Mass recruitment drive of male teachers especially in English
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So, what?
•
“Redshirt” (delay school entry) for boys by default
•
1,000 new Technical High Schools, doubling to 15% share students
•
1m more apprenticeships
•
Mass recruitment drive of male teachers especially in English
•
Subsidies for men entering HEAL training and jobs
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So, what?
•
“Redshirt” (delay school entry) for boys by default
•
1,000 new Technical High Schools, doubling to 15% share students
•
1m more apprenticeships
•
Mass recruitment drive of male teachers especially in English
•
Subsidies for men entering HEAL training and jobs
•
Equal, independent paid leave for fathers and mothers: 6 months
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So, what?
•
“Redshirt” (delay school entry) for boys by default
•
1,000 new Technical High Schools, doubling to 15% share students
•
1m more apprenticeships
•
Mass recruitment drive of male teachers especially in English
•
Subsidies for men entering HEAL training and jobs
•
Equal, independent paid leave for fathers and mothers: 6 months
•
More legal rights for unmarried fathers
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“The Left want to define traditional
masculinity as toxic. They want to
define the traditional masculine
virtues … as a danger to society.
Can we be surprised that after
years of being told they are the
problem, that their manhood is the
problem, more and more men are
withdrawing into the enclave of
idleness and pornography and
video games?”
Sen. Josh Hawley, Nov. 2021
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@richardvreeves
“Of Boys and Men”, Substack
Boys and Men Project, Brookings
www.richardvreeves.com