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Conversation About Boys and Men

Do you know a boy or young man struggling to find his place in life? Have you been reading about the crisis in boys and men and wondering what to do about it?

Join us for this parish forum on April 23 when we’ll use Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to Do About It by Richard Reeves as our springboard for a head and heart dive into some of the most pressing issues facing our sons, brothers, husbands and friends.

A self-described policy wonk, Reeves insists that helping men does not have to come at the cost of continuing to address the needs of women. He cites data to show large gender imbalances in understaffed fields such as teaching, nursing, sociology, and psychotherapy. These stable, well-paid jobs could offer many men a way out of underemployment, poverty, and despair. He describes the cultural shifts that must occur for men to see these professions as ‘manly’ work – especially among working class white men and men of color.

As the father of three sons, he wonders if boys should start school a year later than girls – “red-shirting” boys. And he critiques both Left and Right for the destructive ways they politicize the cultural crisis for men for their own ends, rather than offering sensible policies that benefit men without losing focus on the needs of women. The both/and approach Reeves brings to the crisis in men and boys is refreshing and hopeful. His book has been attracted positive reviews in mainstream media, including the New Yorker, “What’s the Matter with Men,” January 30, 2023 Issue.

Parishioner Dan Harris will lead us in a stimulating conversation of this seminal book! Here’s a 15 minute summary: