In recent years, the academic struggles of America’s boys have gained heightened visibility. The leading scholar on this count may be Richard Reeves, Brookings Institution scholar and the founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. His book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to do About It was named one of 2022’s best books by The New Yorker and The Economist and a summer reading selection last year by former President Barack Obama. I recently had the chance to check in with Reeves on his work and what it’ll take to help more boys succeed. Here’s what he had to say.
—Rick
Rick Hess: Richard, you weren’t always a scholar focusing on the challenges facing boys and men. So, how did your book Of Boys and Men come about?
Richard Reeves: My interest in the challenges facing boys and men developed gradually, but it became impossible to ignore as I examined broader trends in education, employment, and family life. As a scholar focused on inequality and social mobility, I noticed that discussions about gender disparities rarely included the growing struggles faced by them. The data were compelling—declining educational achievement, workforce disengagement, and increasing social isolation. Writing Of Boys and Men was a way of bringing these issues to a wider audience, challenging policymakers and scholars to take seriously the structural changes that have disproportionately impacted males, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Hess: What are some of those worrying signs that you saw?
Reeves: One of the most pressing issues is educational attainment. Boys have fallen behind girls at most levels of schooling, from kindergarten readiness to college completion. They are more likely to be diagnosed with learning disabilities, less likely to graduate from high school, and much less likely to earn a college degree. Another major challenge is workforce participation. The decline of traditionally male-dominated industries like manufacturing and construction has left many men struggling to find stable, well-paying jobs. This has contributed to a rise in male disengagement from work, family life, and community involvement. These trends are not just personal challenges; they have broad social consequences.
Hess: After the success of your book, you founded the American Institute for Boys and Men. What prompted that decision?
Reeves: The overwhelmingly positive response to Of Boys and Men made it clear that there was a hunger for serious, evidence-based discussion about the challenges facing boys. While the Brookings Institution is a fantastic place, I felt that these challenges required dedicated and sustained research and advocacy that could not be done as a side project. The American Institute for Boys and Men was founded to fill that gap—bringing rigorous analysis to the public square, pushing for policies that support male well-being, and ensuring that gender-equity efforts include boys and men alongside women and girls. The goal is not to diminish the progress made by women but to recognize that many of the social and economic shifts of recent decades have created new challenges that require solutions targeted toward men.
Hess: Why do you think these concerns haven’t received more attention?
Reeves: There are a few reasons. First, the framework of gender equity has historically focused—rightly—on the barriers faced by women and girls. As a result, when men struggle, it is often seen as an individual failing rather than a systemic issue. Second, discussions about gender disparities have become politically charged, which has made it difficult to address the challenges faced by boys without being accused of diminishing the struggles of women. Finally, many policymakers and educators simply aren’t aware of the depth of the problem. The data are clear, but there has been a lag in translating that data into policy and cultural awareness.
Hess: After a decade of intense attention to issues of gender and gender identity, what’s changed for boys?
