American Institute for Boys and Men

Homelessness Is On The Rise In The U.S., Especially for Men #Men account for 6 in 10 of those experiencing homelessness, highlighting significant gender differences in housing insecurity. These disparities extend to unsheltered homelessness, with 39% of #homeless men living without shelter, compared to 28% of women. Sharp rises since the pandemic: Since 2020, 107,000 more men and 79,000 more women have become homeless; a 30% rise for men and 35% for #women. California has seen the largest increase in homelessness up from 116,000 in 2015 to 187,000 in 2024. Similar trends are seen in Oregon, with an increase from 13,000 men and women experiencing homelessness, to 23,000. In both states men accounted for 60% of these spikes. Understanding these patterns is critical for policymakers and researchers to understand the mechanisms that increase the risks of homelessness, and how they impact men and women differently. Swipe to see our analysis. Read the full research brief: https://lnkd.in/gyyJmvPj

Geography and Gender: Regional Trends Nearly half of U.S. counties (48%) are majority male. The Midwest and West tend to have more men, while the South and East Coast have more women.

Boys’ sports participation has been declining AIBM has just released a new policy brief going over what is happening, why it matters, and what we can do about it:

Democratic Governors Take Action for Boys and Men “I think it’s part of a growing recognition among Democrats that neglecting the problems of boys and men is neither good policy nor good politics." - Richard V. Reeves

There is a strong thread being discussed in the current discourse that we just need MORE education or MORE male role models and that this is a linear trajectory towards less misogyny, less mental health issues and less violence in young guys. This is short sighted and does not track with the research. With the ascension of 'more' over 'what', we start to lose sight of the quality of what we're offering, where and how it shows up in young men's lives. We also start to overlook effectiveness (e.g. does this even work?). If we hear from many young guys that something doesn't resonate, it's not 'mollycoddling a fragile male ego' to flexibly pivot and co-create something that does with the same end goal of gender equity. If we want behaviour change in a certain group, you have to ensure you have buy-in from them to even start the conversation. A current push to add 'Adolescence' to the school curricula for instance doesn't take into effect powers of backlash (or the 'boomerang' phenomenon). These decisions may well have positive outcomes for some young men who watch it in a learning environment, but it may also have unintended consequences for another group. Who is the teacher running the lesson? What is the history and life circumstance of the boys in the class? As Jess Hill writes in her recent essay, "when men like this [high risk] are told they should be more empathetic towards women and girls, they are unlikely to be grateful for the correction; instead, they become defensive and resentful and hold on ever more firmly to their attitudes." When I say we should seek to understand men's shame, their frustrations and their confusion, that does not mean ever condoning or excusing dangerous/bad/illegal/predatory behaviour. What it does mean is that mental health issues, trauma, addiction AND misogyny can co-exist (and in fact strengthen one another), and should and must both be addressed to make meaningful change.

#Men Are 1.5 Times More Likely to Experience #Homelessness The estimated homelessness rate per 100,000 people is 277 for men and 179 for women, highlighting a significant gender disparity in homelessness.

“As the mother of a teenage boy, I’m wary and weary of public debates that crudely stereotype them all as either damaged or damaging.” Superb, balanced article from Gaby Hinsliff

Overdose Rates Have Shifted Dramatically Between 2008 and 2016, Black men had much lower overdose rates than white and AI/AN men. By 2018, their rate was nearly the same. By 2022, AI/AN men had an overdose death rate of 81 per 100k, followed by Black men at 69 per 100k.

If you listen to one thing this weekend, I suggest this brilliant BBC Radio Today podcast with Richard V. Reeves - President of American Institute for Boys and Men and broadcaster, Catherine Carr. Covering all of the recent issues about boys and young men with depth, compassion and evidence! https://lnkd.in/euUaPwSg

"I want more progress towards gender equality. I also want my boys to feel good about themselves, as boys, and as men when they grow up." Catherine Carr for American Institute for Boys and Men