Boys Without Men

Never has there been more concern about the state of boys and young men. In early December, California launched a “mental health media challenge” designed to help those who feel “disconnected, unseen, and alone in their mental health struggles,” following Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order last July to “support young men and boys” and address male suicide rates. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced a “national summit” on the “challenges facing men and boys.” There is never a shortage of experts eager to meet these demands, crafting programs on healthy masculinity, developing new schemes to “build resilience” through a suite of bureaucratic interventions.