‘Hugely positive step’: Newsom addresses challenges facing boys and men | Opinion

Democrats are waking up to the challenges of boys and men For years, concerns about boys and men have been politically neglected — especially on the left. That’s finally changing. Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed a sweeping executive order instructing his administration to tackle the growing crisis of connection and opportunity for men and boys.

This is a hugely positive step for California. To the state’s boys and men, the governor is saying: I see you; I see some of the challenges you are facing and I’m working on your behalf. This is a much-needed message. According to a 2023 “State of American Men” report published by Equimundo, 69% of young men say that they agree with the statement: “no one cares if men are OK.”

And many boys and men are not OK. As Newsom’s order notes, suicide rates are four times higher among men than women. Young men are now at a higher risk of death from suicide than middle-aged men.

Rather than starting from scratch, the order sensibly instructs health officials to work through existing programs, like the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health. Likewise, in education, the plan is to assess gender gaps in various initiatives, including California Community Schools Partnership Program, and review outreach efforts to increase the representation and engagement of men.

Newsom joins a growing group of Democrats who are acknowledging and addressing male challenges. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore have both declared their commitment to working on behalf of boys and men. Even President Barack Obama recently spent an hour talking about these issues on his wife and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s podcast.

“We rightly have tried to invest in girls to make sure that there’s a level playing field and then they’re not barred from opportunities,” the former president said. “But we haven’t been as willing ... to be intentional about investing in the boys. And that’s been a mistake.”

Of course, politics is part of the story here. It is hardly a coincidence that Democrats have been publicly addressing these issues since the 2024 election, which saw a huge swing toward the Republicans among young men. It is also striking that the Democrats most willing to speak up are among those often mentioned as potential presidential contenders for 2028. Anybody serious about winning the presidency knows they have to start taking the issues of boys and men seriously.

That’s why it’s so important that they’re not just acknowledging the problem — they’re doing something about it.

This does not mean doing less for women and girls. As Newsom’s order states: “The progress that women have made is to be celebrated, and, because it is not a zero-sum question, it is in the best interest of all of us to broaden opportunities for success and address the disparities in outcomes for men.”

We can continue to fight for more opportunities for our women and girls while doing more for our boys and men. We can do two things at once. It is an “and” not an “or.”

For too long, Democrats have been fearful that tackling male issues would make them seem less committed to women and girls. Not only is this nonsensical, it was an unfathomable act of political self-harm. To state the blindingly obvious, it is not good for women if men are struggling.

Helping boys and men should be a bipartisan cause (and Republican Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah set up a taskforce on boys and men back in 2023). But what is particularly exciting about these new efforts from Democrats is that they aren’t just talking about boys and men, they are taking action — using their elected powers to effect real policy change.

Rather than blaming each other for their problems, young men and young women should be linking arms, demanding a fairer housing market, a better education system and more investment in families and children. We rise — or fall — together.

Richard Reeves is president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and author of “Of Boys and Men” (2022).