Girls are now attaining higher levels of education than boys. Jennifer Graham’s article “The ‘war on boys’ led to a ‘masculinity crisis’ — what’s new in the effort to help America’s struggling young men?” raises an urgent concern. This is so much more than a trend; it’s a growing social and economic problem.
Proposals such as encouraging more men to enter teaching or mental health professions are valuable, and the call for parents to stay engaged in their children’s education is critical. But we need to do more. Parents need tools and training to effectively set boundaries on phones, apps and online content. At the same time, policymakers must confront the ease of access to pornography, which is shaping boys’ attitudes, ideas of relationships and ambitions at an alarming rate. Simply warning parents is not enough when millions of images and videos are only a click, or a VPN, away.
If we are serious about reversing the crisis facing boys and young men, we must combine parental involvement with meaningful policy reform that addresses the online environments shaping today’s youth.
Baylee Bruce
Sandy