'Have you considered helping boys?' The other gender gap

Boys and men are facing crises that have been ignored. We should extend empathy to them and support efforts for more resources.

- LISA BRITTON GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

CHRIS WARE Getty Images

SIXTY YEARS AGO, the achievement gap in school favored boys. Now girls are leaving boys behind in academics.

SEVEN YEARS AGO, when I was a nonpartisan advocate for girls and women, I faced a startling question from a supportive Senate staffer: “Have you considered helping boys? They really need our help now.”

I resisted the urge to cringe. Instead of dismissing her point, I dived into the research and discovered a real, mostly ignored crisis facing boys and men. There was another surprise in the data: Liberal parents are uniquely positioned to make progress.

Women have fought hard for progress and personal freedom, breaking down barriers for women and girls, and that's worth celebrating. But boys and men are facing crises that have been ignored for too long, and it's time we extend our empathy to them and support efforts today for more compassion and resources being directed their way. We should champion efforts like Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent executive order aimed at addressing the growing crisis of suicide and social disconnection among boys and young men. Because if we root for only one sex to win, both sexes will lose.

A Brookings report highlights that both conservative and liberal parents — both mothers and fathers — express greater concern about the futures of their sons than those of their daughters.